World reacts to IEA’s suspension of women from universities

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) decision to suspend university education for women and girls has drawn strong condemnation from international organizations and foreign governments.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said that preventing half of the population from contributing meaningfully to society and the economy will have a “devastating impact” on the whole country.

“It will expose Afghanistan to further international isolation, economic hardship and suffering, impacting millions for years to come,” UNAMA said in a statement.

In Washington, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said: “Education is an internationally recognized human right and it is essential to Afghanistan’s economic growth and its stability. This unacceptable stance will have significant consequences for the Taliban (IEA) and will further alienate the Taliban (IEA) from the international community and deny them the legitimacy they desire.”

Human Rights Watch said: “While the new ban is a shamelessly misogynistic addition, the education cycle was already broken when the Taliban (IEA) banned teenage girls from secondary school.”

Qatar’s foreign ministry stressed that “these negative practices” will have a significant impact on human rights, development, and the economy in Afghanistan.

Britain’s UN Ambassador Barbara Woodward said the suspension was “another egregious curtailment of women’s rights and a deep and profound disappointment for every single female student.”

“It is also another step by the Taliban (IEA) away from a self-reliant and prosperous Afghanistan,” she said.

Pakistan urged the IEA to revisit the decision.

“We strongly believe that every man and woman has the inherent right to education in accordance with the injunctions of Islam,” said Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s special envoy for Afghanistan.