Afghan Taliban Authority Closes Access for Women to Universities while Students Take Final Examinations

JAKARTA - The Afghan Taliban-run higher education ministry suspended access to universities by female students on Tuesday until further notice, drawing strong criticism from the United States, Britain and the United Nations.

A letter, confirmed by a spokesman for the ministry of higher education, instructs Afghan public and private universities to immediately suspend access to female students, in accordance with a Cabinet decision.

The decision was taken when many students were taking the final semester exams. A mother of the student, who asked not to be named for security reasons, said her daughter called her in tears when she heard the letter, fearing she would no longer be able to continue her medical studies in Kabul.

"The pain that not only me and (another) mother have in our hearts, is inexplicable. We all feel this pain, they are worried for the future of their children," she said, citing Reuters, December 21.

Shortly before the university's announcement, UN special envoy for Afghanistan Roza Otunbayeva said the secondary school closures had "damaged" the Taliban administration's relationship with the international community, "very unpopular among Afghans even within the Taliban leadership."

"As long as girls continue to be excluded from schools and the de facto authorities continue to ignore other concerns expressed by the international community, we remain deadlocked," he said.

The announcement by the Taliban government, which is not yet recognized internationally, comes as the United Nations Security Council meets in New York on Afghanistan.

Foreign governments, including the United States, say changes to policies on women's education are needed before they can consider formally recognizing the government run by the Taliban, who are also heavily sanctioned.

"The Taliban cannot expect to become a lawful member of the international community until they respect the rights of all Afghans, especially the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and girls," US Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Robert Wood told the council, describing the move as "completely untenable."

Meanwhile, UK Ambassador to the United Nations Barbara Woodward said the suspension was a "horrific reduction in women's rights and a deep and profound disappointment for every female student."

"This is also another step by the Taliban away from an independent and prosperous Afghanistan," he told the council.

In March, the Taliban came under criticism from many foreign governments and some Afghans for turning back plans to open secondary schools for girls.

Separately, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Tuesday's decision was "a clear breach of another promise from the Taliban."

"This is another very troubling step and it is difficult to imagine how a country could develop, facing all the challenges that exist, without the active participation of women and women's education," he told reporters in New York.