Original Source: www.hrw.org
In a chilling move this week, the Taliban have further tightened their grip on women’s education in Afghanistan, closing the last door to medical training for women. This decree now forbids women from attending medical institutions, leaving a gaping hole in the healthcare system.
As this new prohibition takes effect, women, already deprived of access to male medical professionals in certain provinces, will now have no female healthcare workers to turn to in times of medical crisis.
Akhundzada, the Taliban’s supreme leader, delivered this grim proclamation during a meeting of the Ministry of Public Health, emphasizing a troubling trend that has seen girls barred from secondary education since September 2021 and from higher education since December 2022.
The Taliban’s resurgence has heralded a dark era for women’s rights, where freedom of movement, self-expression, and even basic healthcare have become distant dreams. From restricting access to parks and gyms to imposing brutal reprisals against activists, the oppressive atmosphere suffocates the voices of those daring to stand against injustice.
Human rights defenders and organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have resolutely called for accountability, urging that the Taliban be made answerable for their pervasive violations. In a timely beacon of hope, International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan announced impending applications for arrest warrants, suggesting that the walls of impunity may soon begin to crumble.
The Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in August 2021 marked a significant regression in the rights of women and girls. Since then, they have implemented a strict interpretation of Islamic law that severely constrains women’s freedoms. This includes widespread bans on education, restricting women from holding jobs, and prohibitions on their interactions with men in various public settings. The ongoing efforts by women’s rights defenders to challenge these violations face harsh reprisals from Taliban authorities, leading to disappearances and violence against activists. International scrutiny continues as human rights organizations call for accountability for these violations to safeguard the future of Afghan women and girls.
The recent ban on medical training for women represents yet another grim chapter in Afghanistan’s ongoing struggle for women’s rights under Taliban rule. With healthcare access rapidly dwindling, the lives of many women are jeopardized. However, the recent developments from the International Criminal Court signal potential accountability, providing a glimmer of hope that perhaps justice may one day prevail for those whose voices have been silenced. The world watches, calls for change echo, and the spirit of resistance flickers like a candle in the dark.
