Women Still Barred as Universities in Afghanistan Reopen

Universities in Afghanistan reopened today after the long winter break, but women were still barred from the lecture halls. The Taliban government said that it imposed the ban because women students were ignoring a strict dress code and a requirement to be accompanied by a male relative to and from campus, and many had said it would be temporary. There have been many other excuses for the closure, including a lack of funds, and the time needed to remodel the syllabus in line with Islamic values, AFP reported. The ban on university education for all women in Afghanistan came in December, two weeks after the Taliban allowed girls to take their high school graduation exams, despite not being in a classroom since the Islamist group took over and prevented girls from studying in high schools. The Taliban have been barring women from entering public spaces including parks, gyms, and entertainment venues, requiring them to wear burqas and face coverings and requiring a male escort in public. The Taliban took over Afghanistan and announced the formation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan at the end of August 2021, when the last US and other foreign troops left the country.