EU Denounces Taliban for Restricting Women’s Access to Education

Brussels (Eurotoday) – The EU condemned the Taliban for blocking women’s access to medical education, highlighting ongoing human rights violations.

The European Union has denounced the Taliban for disregarding human rights and women’s access to education after media reports that the Taliban’s leader has called on private and public institutions to cease providing medical courses for women and girls in Afghanistan.

This action represents yet again another gross violation of fundamental human rights and an indefensible attack on women’s access to education in Afghanistan. In September 2021, a month after they returned to authority, the Taliban prevented schooling for girls after grade six. They excluded women from university in December 2022. Medical education, like nursing and midwifery, was one of the few ways they could persist their learning in classrooms.

How has the EU responded to the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s education?

As reported by European Union External Action, the EU blank” rel=”noopener”>said the Taliban’s latest reported decision represented another appalling violation of fundamental human rights and an unjustifiable attack on women’s access to education in Afghanistan. “The European Union expresses its strong concerns over this decision and its far-reaching implications, including the deepening of the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and the exacerbation of the suffering of its people. Women’s participation in education and the workforce is not just a matter of equality — it is essential for the self-sufficiency, development, and prosperity of any nation.”

European Union urged the Taliban to reverse this discriminatory approach and uphold their obligations under international law, including ensuring equal access to schooling and basic healthcare for all Afghans. The EU remains determined to defend women and girls, and all those whose rights are persistently disregarded in Afghanistan.