Taliban outlaws co-education in Afghanistan’s Herat province post takeover: Report

Taliban in Afghanistan's restive Herat province have outlawed co-education in government and private universities, calling it the "root of all evils in society," just days after promising to respect women's rights.  According to reports, the decision was reached after a meeting involving university instructors, private institution owners, and Taliban authorities on Saturday.

Taliban bans co-education in Afghanistan

The Taliban have issued its first "fatwa" since taking control of Afghanistan last week. The capture of Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, on Sunday marked the end of the United States' longest war, which began after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

In an effort to present a more moderate attitude, Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban's longstanding spokesman promised on Tuesday in his first-ever public appearance to address such concerns at a news conference that the Taliban would respect women's rights within the rules of Islamic law.

Mullah Farid, a Taliban spokesperson and Afghanistan's Head of Higher Education, claimed there is no alternative to co-education during a three-hour meeting of university professors and private educational institution owners. He further stated that only female students, not male students, will be taught by virtuous female lecturers. Farid noted that Co-education is the "root of all evils in society," according to the report.

Afghanistan has developed a mixed system of co-education and gender-based segregated courses in all colleges and institutes throughout the last two decades. Government universities, according to educational experts, would be unaffected by the decision, but private institutions may have challenges due to the already low number of female students. According to official estimates, Herat's private and government universities and colleges have 40,000 students and 2,000 teachers.

UNHCR Issues Warning Over Afghanistan's Humanitarian Situation

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN's refugee agency, has expressed concern about Afghanistan's present humanitarian needs and appealed for continuous support to ensure that the country receives the aid it requires. The situation on the ground in the country is extremely volatile, according to a UN statement released on Friday. The Taliban stormed the capital city on Sunday, declaring victory against Ashraf Ghani's government. People have been seen rushing to the airport to get out of the country, causing chaos in Kabul.

(With inputs from PTI)

Picture Credit: AP