Afghanistan's Taliban rulers have banned university education for women nationwide, provoking outrage and condemnation from people across the world. On Wednesday, hundreds of young women were stopped by armed guards from entering Afghan university campuses. Shocked by the mandate, young men and women are now protesting the regressive decision through powerful posts on social media, using the #LetHerLearn.
Several other videos capturing the fear and pain of female students have surfaced on Twitter, breaking people's hearts. Students lamented how their dreams had been shattered by the announcement and spoke about their anguish. One such video showed female students weeping in a classroom a day after Afghanistan's dictat.
Extremely sad and distressing to see these girls cry as they are told that they will no longer be able to continue their studies at the university. Stand with these women and girls of Afghanistan against the Taliban. #LetHerLearn pic.twitter.com/GwHfudZA66
— Habib Khan (@HabibKhanT) December 21, 2022
Meanwhile, the hashtag “LetHerLearn” and ''LetAfghanGirlsLearn'' have become global sensations with people using them to express their support for the right of Afghan girls and women to education.
Here are some posts:
#letHerLearn
— marzieh hamidi (@MarziehHamidi) December 20, 2022
Stand with Afghan women 🙏🏻🇦🇫💔❤️🩹 pic.twitter.com/PTJ8sge8cT
Street art from Kabul. #LetHerLearn #LetAfghanGirlsLearn pic.twitter.com/wQropmAXsb
— Javid Faisal (@Javidfaisal) December 21, 2022
Today we stand in solidarity with our sisters and daughters of #Afghanistan in demanding that the decision on high school ban for girls and university ban for women be reversed. Every day of education wasted is a day wasted from the future of the country. 🙏#LetAfghanGirlsLearn
— Rahmanullah Gurbaz (@RGurbaz_21) December 21, 2022
Footage coming out from outside universities in Afghanistan are heartbreaking 💔 I can't imagine a life where I'm not allowed to go to School, University or my workplace. Taliban 2.0 have not changed. #LetAfghanGirlsLearn
— Munazza Anwaar | منزہ انوار (@munazzaanwaar) December 21, 2022
pic.twitter.com/iGgabolnuQ
In Kandahar, girls are devastated as they are not allowed to participate in university exams while boys sit in the classroom. #LetHerLearn pic.twitter.com/KWWSzF54Jv
— Habib Khan (@HabibKhanT) December 21, 2022
Male university students have walked out of their exam in protest against Taliban's decision to BAN female students from university education.
— Shabnam Nasimi (@NasimiShabnam) December 21, 2022
Several male professors have also resigned so far.
This must happen across the country NOW!pic.twitter.com/kvvsQdchSu
These "powerful" men are scared of a girl getting an education. Because they know when you educate a girl you educate the whole society. And when the whole society is educated they will reject this oppressiv, barbaric regime. #LetHerLearn #LetAfganGirlsLearn pic.twitter.com/ANGd5UXjzG
— Afghanistan (@Afghanistan_55) December 21, 2022
Some women even staged protests in the capital Kabul. A group of 50 women dressed in hijabs were also seen on Thursday for a peaceful protest march against the move, chanting slogans against the ban.
The unstoppable Afghan women…Much respect.#LetHerLearn #LetAfghanGirlsLearn
— Ziauddin Yousafzai (@ZiauddinY) December 22, 2022
pic.twitter.com/bwdKgGV5ZQ
Afghanistan is the only country in the world where girls and women are denied from right to education. #LetHerLearn pic.twitter.com/By7k5FgbUa
— Crystal Bayat (@CrystalBayat37) December 22, 2022
A recently graduated student feelings 💔#LetHerLearn pic.twitter.com/eWhTMMBs20
— SANA🇦🇫 (@shirzad43) December 21, 2022
Remarkably courageous women and girls out on the streets of Kabul today, chanting —
— Shabnam Nasimi (@NasimiShabnam) December 22, 2022
“For the crime of learning, they threw us out of university. Oh honourable countrymen, please support us. Countrymen, countrymen, come break your silence”
pic.twitter.com/jcttR6tc1V
However, the small demonstrations were quickly shut down by Taliban officials, while some women were arrested.
The ban on higher education comes less than three months after thousands of girls and women were allowed to sit for university entrance exams across the country, with many aspiring to choose teaching and medicine as future careers. Most teenage girls across the country have already been banned from secondary school, severely limiting university intake anyway.
The Taliban had promised a softer rule after seizing power last year following the US' withdrawal from the country. However, the hardline Islamists have ratcheted up restrictions on all aspects of women's lives, ignoring international outrage.
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