Taliban's ban on women's education is extremism, threatens Afghanistan's future: UN envoy Bennett

New York [US], September 28 (ANI): UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, has warned that the Taliban’s ban on women’s education constitutes extremism and threatens the country’s stability, development, and international standing, Tolo News reported.

Speaking on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Friday, Bennett said the Taliban’s emphasis on religious indoctrination over formal schooling was depriving Afghanistan’s younger generation of “opportunity and hope.”

He underscored the importance of credible, well-documented reports from Afghanistan, noting that they remain essential for shaping global debate and pushing meaningful international action. “Without such evidence,” he cautioned, “the plight of Afghan women and girls risks being overshadowed.”

According to Tolo News, Bennett also called for the creation of more platforms to allow Afghans themselves to be heard, particularly Islamic scholars and experts. He argued that their voices are critical in countering the Taliban’s narrative.

The UN envoy further highlighted the Taliban’s suppression of civil society, intimidation of critics, and reprisals against dissenters. “Despite attempts to silence opposition, the group’s actions remain under international scrutiny,” he said, as cited by Tolo News.

His remarks come as global human rights organisations continue to press the United Nations and international powers for stronger measures against Taliban restrictions, especially those targeting women and girls.

Bennett’s warning, Tolo News reported, underlines a grim reality for Afghanistan: without access to education and civil freedoms, the country risks long-term instability, deeper isolation from the international community, and the loss of an entire generation’s potential.

This concern was also echoed in a report published by the Atlantic Council on September 17, which stated that since the return of Taliban in 2021, more than one million girls in Afghanistan had been denied access to education, Tolo News reported.

The council further noted that education in Afghanistan had become an act of resistance.

A section of the report read: “Since the return of the Taliban in 2021 and their imposition of a gender apartheid system, more than one million girls in Afghanistan have been pushed out of school. Yet, across villages and cities, they continue to learn, build, and lead–often in silence, and often starting from next to nothing,” Tolo News quoted.

Tafsir Siyahposh, a women’s rights activist, said, “Our demand from the Islamic Emirate is to provide opportunities for women, reopen the doors of schools and universities. We may not have doctors tomorrow, which is extremely important. We may not have teachers. In every field where women are needed today, we might have no one left to step in,” Tolo News quoted.

Meanwhile, a number of female students in the country had once again called for the reopening of schools that had been shut to them.

Rabiya, a student, said, “When I work on a piece of art or paint a picture, I feel hopeful. I tell myself that even if I can’t go to school, at least I’ve managed to reach a certain point. Art is not less valuable than science, but worldly knowledge is necessary for us–we must learn it, because we are the ones who can build the future.”

Maryam, another student, said, “My only wish is that the doors of schools be reopened for us as soon as possible so that we can have a brighter future.”

Although the Islamic Emirate had recently remained silent on the matter, it had consistently labelled girls’ education as a domestic issue and called on countries and organisations not to interfere in Afghanistan’s internal affairs, as per Tolo News. (ANI)

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