KABUL (Pajhwok): Former president Hamid Karzai has asked the Islamic Emirate to urgently reopen girls’ high schools and universities for the sake of the country’s development and reconsider the ban on women aid workers.
The Ministry of Higher Education banned women’s higher education on December 20 and asked public and private universities to implement the cabinet’s decision with immediate effect.
Four days later, the Ministry of Economy asked national and international NGOs to send their female workers home until further notice.
Yesterday, the UN Security Council underlined the need for the reversal of fresh restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan.
While calling for Afghan women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in all spheres of life, the UNSC denounced the ban on female university students and working for humanitarian aid groups.
Barring women and girls from attending high school and universities in Afghanistan was reflective of increasing erosion of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, the top UN body said on Tuesday.
The restrictions are unjustifiable human rights violations and must be revoked, according to the UN secretary-general, who said actions to exclude and silence women and girls continued to cause immense suffering and major setbacks to the potential of the Afghan people.
In a unanimous statement, the 15-member council warned the ban on female humanitarian workers would have a significant and immediate impact for humanitarian operations, including UN efforts, in the country.
“These restrictions contradict the commitments made by the Taliban to the Afghan people as well as the expectations of the international community,” it said.
Former president Hamid Karzai in tweets admired and welcomed the UNCS’s stance regarding women forbidden from education and work in Afghanistan.
He urged the caretaker government to reopen girls’ schools and universities for the development, growth and vital interests of the country.
He wrote the caretaker government should review its decision to ban female aid workers for the sake of solution to economic problems of the people and improving their lives and provide work opportunities for women in the country.
Acting Mines and Petroleum Minister Sheikh Shahabuddin Dilawar on Thursday said a decision would be soon made about the reopening of primary and secondary schools as well as universities for girls. “The word of further order notice has been mentioned in the decree of Maulavi Hebatuallah Akhundzada”, he said.
He said currently schools and universities had gone on winter vacations and a decision would be made soon in this regard in line with Sharia and Afghan culture.
He also said religious scholars were looking to find a Sharia solution to women’s work in NGOs.
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