Ayaz Gul VOA News January 19, 2025 Islamabad — A senior Taliban leader has publicly criticized his government’s policy of prohibiting female education in Afghanistan, calling it a “personal choice” rather than an interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia. The rare public rebuke from Sher Abbas Stanikzai, the Taliban deputy foreign minister, comes amid persistent international
The Guardian (UK): It was a normal summer morning in July last year when 19-year-old Samira* made her way to the carpet-weaving shop where she worked in Kabul to pick up her wages. She had no way of knowing that in just a few hours, her life as she knew it would be over. She
Ayaz Gul VOA News January 12, 2025 ISLAMABAD — Nobel Peace Prize laurate Malala Yousafzai urged Muslim leaders Sunday not to “legitimize” Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban, accusing them of being the “perpetrators of gender apartheid” and calling for accountability. Yousafzai spoke at the closing session of a Pakistan-hosted international summit on girls’ education in Muslim communities around
Afghanistan International: Julia Parsi, a women’s rights activist, has claimed that she lost hearing in one of her ears as a result of the Taliban’s torture in the group’s prison. Julia Parsi, who had been in Taliban custody for more than three months, said that she underwent surgery for a deep wound in her right
Amu: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has no plans to ban Afghanistan’s men’s team from participating in the Champions Trophy, nor to demand that the Taliban reinstate a women’s cricket program, despite calls for action from politicians and activists, Sky News reported. The ICC, which mandates Test-playing nations to support women’s cricket, faces criticism for
Amu: Kandahar Province, regarded as the Taliban’s power base, is hosting a three-day exhibition showcasing domestic products from 150 Afghan manufacturers. However, as the event entered its second day on Sunday, sources reported that women had been barred from attending. Despite the prominent role women play in producing these items, they have been excluded from
The Conversation: The economic cost could potentially reach over a billion dollars – and this doesn’t include the wider social costs associated with lower levels of education for women. For context, Afghanistan’s entire gross domestic product was just $17 billion in 2023. Our study demonstrates how catastrophic the newest education ban could be, not just
Ariana: The Ministry of Economy in a new letter has warned that non-governmental organisations (NGOs) failing to stop women from working will be suspended and their licenses revoked. Two years ago, the ministry had issued a similar letter ordering that women’s work in NGOs be stopped. Experts say that this restriction could have widespread negative
Amu: The Taliban’s leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, has issued a directive banning the construction of windows in residential buildings that overlook neighboring homes, particularly those housing women. The order, which the Taliban say is aimed at “preserving privacy and protecting women from potential harm,” imposes strict limitations on property owners. According to the decree, individuals building
Afghanistan International: Rahmatullah Jaber, the Taliban’s education chief in Herat, announced in a letter that girls’ education above the sixth grade in private education centres is prohibited. The Taliban official said that girls’ education above the sixth grade is prohibited by Mullah Hibatullah’s decree until “further notice”. Click here to read more (external link).