The State of Qatar expressed deep concern and disappointment with the Afghan caretaker government’s decision to ban university education for women in Afghanistan.
The Taliban Ministry of Higher Education issued a letter to both public and private universities and ordered them to ‘suspend’ university education for women until further notice.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, in a statement published on December 21, stressed that these negative practices will have a significant impact on human rights, development, and the economy of Afghanistan.
“As a Muslim country in which women enjoy all their rights, especially education, the State of Qatar calls on the Afghan caretaker government to review its decision in line with the teachings of the Islamic religion concerning women’s rights”, the statement further reads.
In the statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs underscored the position of the State of Qatar supporting all spectra of Afghan people to obtain all their rights, particularly the right to education.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated the State of Qatar is deeply committed to working with its Afghan and international partners to ensure that all groups of Afghan people of all ages enjoy their right to education.
A number of countries and organizations reacted to this decision. The US, Germany, The UK, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Human Rights Watch and many more have condemned this decision.