The ongoing ban on girls’ education in Afghanistan, enforced by the Taliban, will take center stage at an upcoming summit in Islamabad, scheduled for January 11-12. The conference, backed by Saudi Arabia and proposed by Rabta Islami, will focus on “Girls’ Education in Muslim Communities: Challenges and Opportunities.”
Around 30 ministers from OIC member countries are set to attend this two-day event, where the primary goal is to pressure the Taliban government to lift its restrictions on female education. Following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, they swiftly imposed a ban on girls attending school, initially seen as a temporary measure. However, the regime has only tightened the restrictions, extending the ban to medical education for girls, worsening its international standing.
The Taliban leadership, particularly its chief, Hibatullah Akhundzada, has staunchly defended the ban, citing its alignment with their interpretation of Sharia law. Despite mounting pressure from the global community, including Muslim nations, the Taliban has refused to back down.
This summit will serve as an important platform for member states to discuss strategies for confronting this issue and advocating for girls’ rights to education in Afghanistan. It highlights the broader challenge of ensuring female empowerment and education in the Muslim world, while shining a spotlight on the Taliban’s defiant stance on the matter.
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