New Delhi [India], October 12 (ANI): Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Sunday rejected claims that women in the country are completely barred from education, asserting that millions of female students are currently enrolled in schools.
Speaking at a press conference at the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi, Muttaqi said, “There is no doubt that Afghanistan has relations with Ulema Madaris and with Deoband perhaps greater than others. With regard to education, at present we have 10 million students attending schools and other educational institutes, of which 2.8 million are women and girls.”
He acknowledged that while certain restrictions remain in some areas, education for women has not been declared “haram” (religiously forbidden). “In religious seminaries, this educational opportunity is available all the way to the graduation level. There are certain limitations in specific parts, but that does not mean we oppose education. We have not declared it religiously ‘haram,’ but it has been postponed until the second order,” Muttaqi said.
His remarks come amid widespread criticism of the Taliban government’s restrictions on female education. According to the United Nations, the Taliban has “deliberately deprived” at least 1.4 million girls of their right to schooling. Al Jazeera reported that about 300,000 more girls have been excluded from classrooms since UNESCO’s last assessment in April 2023. On August 15, 2024, UNESCO warned that “the future of an entire generation is now in jeopardy.”
Since returning to power, the Taliban has banned education for girls above the sixth grade, arguing that it does not comply with their interpretation of Islamic principles — a stance not shared by any other Muslim-majority country, according to Al Jazeera.
Earlier in the day, Muttaqi addressed criticism regarding the exclusion of women journalists from a recent press conference, describing it as an unintentional “technical issue.” Responding to backlash from Indian media and politicians, he clarified that the decision was not based on gender discrimination.
“With regards to the press conference, it was on short notice and a short list of journalists was decided,” he explained. “The participation list that was presented was very specific. It was more a technical issue… Our colleagues had decided to send invitations to a specific list of journalists, and there was no other intention apart from this.”
Following the controversy, Muttaqi announced another press interaction later in the day, this time inviting women journalists to participate. (ANI)
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