Women's Rights Not Priority, Says Taliban Spokesperson After Education Ban

Amid the ongoing violation of the rights of Afghan women under the Taliban regime - banned from universities, as well as, from working in non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement that overturning restrictions against women is not a priority for the group, reported Khaama Press.

The Taliban said on Saturday that it would not permit any act that violate Islamic law, and the concerns regarding restrictions on women's rights will be dealt with according to the established rule of the group in the country.

Taliban chief spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement, "The Islamic Emirate tries to regulate all matters in accordance with the Islamic Sharia, and the ruling government cannot allow act against the Sharia in the country," reported Khaama Press.

The latest action by the Taliban to ban women from working in NGOs sparked protests by female university students and women activists in several regions of the country, as well as brought condemnations, globally.

Some foreign governments, including those of the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, the European Union (EU), United Nations (UN), OIC, and other international aid organisations, strongly condemned the action and urged the Taliban caretaker government to lift the ban and permit Afghan girls and women to pursue their education and continue working with NGOs, Khaama Press reported.

According to a UNICEF report released in August, the fact that girls in Afghanistan are deprived of secondary education has cost the country's economy at least USD 500 million over the past 12 months, which amounts to 2.5 per cent of GDP.

Zabiullah Mujahid also asked Afghanistan's partners and international aid organizations to understand the religious demands in Afghanistan and avoid tying humanitarian aid to politics, reported Khaama Press.

On January 13, 11 countries urged the Taliban administration of Afghanistan to remove all restrictions against women and girls, allowing them to return to public life - to get an education and return to work.

However, the Taliban authorities have shown no alteration in their rather strict policy regarding women's education, employment, and movement in the country.

Meanwhile, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), an intergovernmental group consisting of all Muslim-majority countries, rejected the Taliban's claim that its treatment of Afghan women and girls is in line with Islam's Sharia law, reported Khaama Press.

OIC has repeatedly called on the Taliban officials to remove the gender-based restrictions and allow Afghan women and girls to benefit from the inherent fundamental rights, to get an education, work and appear in the public environment.