Afghanistan’s Rashid, Nabi urge Taliban to revoke ban on women’s education

Afghanistan’s top cricket stars Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi have urged the Taliban to reconsider their ban on women’s access to medical education and training, terming the move “deeply unjust”.

“Education holds a central place in Islamic teachings, emphasising the pursuit of knowledge for both men and women,” Afghanistan’s T20 captain Rashid wrote in a social media post on Wednesday.

Earlier this week the Taliban announced their decision to forbid older girls and women from receiving medical education and training, closing all avenues for them to become doctors, nurses or midwives.

Rashid, who said he was speaking out in support of his Afghan “sisters and mothers”, believes the decision will profoundly affect Afghan women’s future as well as “the broader fabric of society”.

The 26-year-old global icon of the sport said the country “desperately needs professionals in every field, especially the medical sector”.

He pointed to Afghan women’s expression of “pain and sorrow” through social media as a “poignant reminder of the struggles they face”.

In a detailed post, written in both English and his native Dari language, Rashid said: “The acute shortage of female doctors and nurses is particularly concerning, as it directly impacts the healthcare and dignity of women.”

“It is essential for our sisters and mothers to have access to care provided by medical professionals who truly understand their needs.”

The all-rounder, who consistently ranks among the world’s top players in limited-overs cricket, urged the Taliban to reconsider their decision.

“Providing education to all is not just a societal responsibility but a moral obligation deeply rooted in our faith and values,” he concluded.

A few hours after Rashid’s outpouring of concern and support, former captain Nabi, too, raised the issue on X.

“The Taliban’s decision to ban girls from studying medicine is not only heartbreaking but deeply unjust,” Nabi wrote.

The veteran all-rounder, who has been representing Afghanistan since 2009, pointed to the importance placed on education in Islam and asked the Taliban to reflect on the religion’s values.

“Denying girls the chance to learn and serve their people is a betrayal of both their dreams and our nation’s future. Let our daughters study, grow, and build a better Afghanistan for everyone. This is their right, and it is our duty to protect it,” Nabi added.

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Human Rights Watch has criticised the move, which it said “closed one of the last remaining loopholes in their [Taliban’s] ban on education for older girls and women”.

The rights body said the ban would result in “unnecessary pain, misery, sickness, and death for the women forced to go without healthcare, as there won’t be female healthcare workers to treat them”.

At least 1.4 million school-age Afghan girls are being “deliberately deprived” of their right to an education, according to the United Nations, which has said the Taliban government has put “the future of an entire generation in jeopardy”.

Afghanistan is the only country in the world to stop girls and women from attending secondary schools and universities.

The Taliban administration, which is not recognised by any other country, has imposed restrictions on women that the UN has described as “gender apartheid”.

Read more: https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2024/12/5/afghanistans-rashid-nabi-urge-taliban-to-revoke-ban-on-womens-education#ixzz8tmZS763S

Afghanistan’s Rashid, Nabi urge Taliban to revoke ban on women’s education
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Taliban move to ban women training as nurses and midwives ‘an outrageous act of ignorance’

 and  for Rukhshana Media

The Taliban’s ban on Afghan women attending nursing and midwife courses has been condemned as “an outrageous act of ignorance” by human rights organisations.

The official decree detailing the ban has not been shared publicly, but several media reports confirmed that the order was announced at a meeting of the Taliban public health ministry on Monday and communicated to training institutes soon after.

Nursing students and medical trainers from Kabul and the provinces confirmed to the Guardian that they had been informed by their institutes that their courses had been suspended.

“I was preparing for a test on Monday night when I received a message from my teacher about the closure of the institute,” said Sahar*, a 22-year-old nursing student.

Hands can be seen holding signs in English and Pashto. One reads ‘Education is our right.’

“I couldn’t stop crying,” she said. “This was my last hope.”

A group of female students in Herat province gathered at the governor’s office in Herat on Thursday to protest at the closure of health science institutes, chanting “We will not give up our rights” and “Education is our right.”

Another medical student and activist from Kabul said: “A society without female doctors or medical workers is doomed.”

International agencies and human rights organisations joined Afghan women in criticising the ban and raised concerns about women’s rights to education and the impact on women’s access to healthcare.

Samira Hamidi, an Afghan activist and campaigner for Amnesty International, said: “This is an outrageous act of ignorance by the Taliban, who continue to lead a war against women and girls in Afghanistan. This draconian action will have a devastating long-term impact on the lives of millions of Afghans, especially women and girls.

“In a country like Afghanistan, where people are bound to traditional and cultural practices, women in most parts of the country are not allowed to be checked or treated by a male doctor.

“With this ban, it will mean there will be no more midwives, nurses, female lab and medical personnel to serve female patients,” she said.

Heather Barr, at Human Rights Watch, said: “If you ban women from being treated by male healthcare professionals, and then you ban women from training to become healthcare professionals, the consequences are clear: women will not have access to healthcare and will die as a result.”

Maternal healthcare in Afghanistan was precarious even before the Taliban takeover, and the country ranked among the lowest for maternal safety, with 620 women dying for every 100,000 live births in 2020, compared with just 10 in the UK, according to the World Health Organization.

According to data from UNFPA, the United Nations’ reproductive health agency, Afghanistan needs an additional 18,000 skilled midwives for Afghan women to get adequate care.

Taliban move to ban women training as nurses and midwives ‘an outrageous act of ignorance’
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Director of Radio Voice of Badghis released after one month in custody

The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) reports that Abdul Razzaq Seddiqi, the director of Radio Voice of Badghis, has been released from Taliban custody after a month in detention.

On Friday, December 6, the Center issued a statement confirming that Seddiqi was freed after 34 days, following a ruling by the second district court in Kabul.

According to the report, the Taliban had detained Seddiqi for preparing a report about women from a private company, which they claimed violated their regulations. The report had been broadcast on foreign media outlets, leading to his arrest.

The Afghanistan Journalists Center has expressed its concern, stating that Seddiqi’s detention violated media laws. They emphasized that such actions are not only unlawful but also undermine the freedom of press.

Currently, six journalists remain imprisoned under the Taliban regime, four of whom have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from two to five years.

The Taliban’s actions against journalists have raised serious concerns, with many human rights organizations condemning their crackdown on media freedom since their takeover of Afghanistan.

The growing number of detained journalists highlights the ongoing suppression of independent reporting in the country.

The detention and abuse of journalists by the Taliban pose a significant challenge to freedom of expression and press in Afghanistan. International bodies and media organizations must continue to advocate for the protection of journalists and press freedoms in the region.

Director of Radio Voice of Badghis released after one month in custody
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Oxford University to host event on women of Afghanistan

The Women’s Rights Network, amid growing concerns about the current situation in Afghanistan, announced that it will hold a meeting to highlight the issues faced by the women in Afghanistan.

According to Daily Oxford, the meeting will take place on Saturday, December 7 at the University of Oxford, initiated by the Women’s Rights Network (WRN).

The report states that the event will be an overnight vigil, focusing on the “desperate situation of Afghanistan’s women and girls.”

The main objective of the event is to shed light on the challenges faced by women and girls in Afghanistan.

The Women’s Rights Network Afghanistan had also announced last week on the social media platform X about preparations for this event.

The meeting takes place at a time when women and girls in Afghanistan have been deprived of their rights to education, employment, and work. Most recently, the education of girls in fields like midwifery and nursing has been suspended until further notice.

This event serves as a critical platform for raising awareness about the continuing violation of women’s rights in Afghanistan. With the international community’s growing attention to the plight of Afghan women, such initiatives aim to generate support for advocating their rights and push for policy changes.

The future of Afghan women and girls remains uncertain, but these events keep their voices heard on the global stage.

Oxford University to host event on women of Afghanistan
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Iran detains and deports 800 illegal migrants daily, plans to expel 2 million more

 

Abbas Ali Mohammadian, the head of Tehran’s police, has announced that around 700 to 800 illegal migrants are arrested and deported from Iran daily.

According to the state news agency IRNA, on Friday, December 6, the Iranian official reported that 70,000 undocumented migrants have been expelled from the country, and around 70,000 others have voluntarily left Tehran.

He emphasized that businesses should be aware that employing illegal foreign workers is a crime, and if foreigners, especially in food-related industries, supermarkets, and restaurants, are hired, they must be legally authorized and undergo proper health and trial procedures.

The Iranian official mentioned that a continuous operation to collect “illegal foreign nationals” is underway, and authorities are committed to deporting 2 million more migrants by the end of the current solar year.

The report from the head of Tehran’s police stated that fewer migrants are seen today in public places, particularly in Freedom Square, due to the police’s ongoing efforts in gathering illegal migrants.

The situation for Afghan refugees in Iran has become increasingly dire. The heightened deportation and arrest measures, combined with the lack of legal avenues for migrants to stay, have left many Afghans in precarious living conditions. With limited access to healthcare, education, and employment opportunities, many refugees are forced to live in constant fear of being caught and deported.

The situation is worsened by the socio-political landscape in Afghanistan, where the ongoing instability continues to push more Afghans to seek refuge in neighboring countries like Iran.

However, with increasing restrictions and hostilities in host countries, the plight of Afghan refugees is becoming more severe. This is a humanitarian crisis that requires urgent international attention to provide protection and support for displaced populations.

Iran detains and deports 800 illegal migrants daily, plans to expel 2 million more
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Norway Limits Diplomatic Ties with the Islamic Emirate

The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote that this decision was made in response to human rights violations in Afghanistan.

The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that it will limit its relations with Afghanistan and will not accept the new ambassador of the Islamic Emirate.

The ministry said in a statement that Norway considers international law as the basis for relations between countries and based on these laws, can reject the ambassador of the Islamic Emirate.

Espen Barth Eide, the Norwegian Foreign Minister, said regarding this matter: “We have informed the Taliban that we will not accept the new ambassador of Afghanistan. We need relations with Afghanistan, and our commitment to Afghanistan continues, but we will limit diplomatic relations.”

He also said that Norway will not send a new ambassador to Afghanistan.

In a statement published by the Norwegian Embassy in Paris, it mentioned that the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs “wants to find a solution that can also take care of the consular needs of Afghans in Norway, Denmark and Iceland, as well as other functions of an embassy.”

The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote that this decision was made in response to human rights violations in Afghanistan.

The statement further said: “Norway has always told the Taliban to respect the human rights of Afghans, particularly regarding the recent restrictions imposed on women and girls. For this reason, Norway is limiting its diplomatic relations with Afghanistan.”

Earlier, the Afghan Embassy in Norway had announced that, at the request of the Norwegian government, the Afghan Embassy in Oslo was closed on September 12.

Norway Limits Diplomatic Ties with the Islamic Emirate
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22nd Doha Forum Kicks Off With Focus on Afghanistan

The forum also discussed the Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice under the Islamic Emirate.

The 22nd session of the Doha Forum commenced today (Saturday) in the Qatari capital with the participation of representatives from over 100 countries, including diplomats and high-ranking officials.

Rosa Otunbayeva, head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), described the decree banning medical education for girls as an irreversible act during the session.

The forum also discussed the Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice under the Islamic Emirate.

The head of the UNAMA office in Afghanistan stated: “Polio is in only two countries, including Afghanistan, and sadly, the leadership has stopped medical education. It is very regrettable.”

Georgette Gagnon, Deputy Special Representative for UNAMA, said: “The UN is monitoring and documenting very closely the implementation of PVPV (Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice) law across the country. And yes there are variations in how in how it is being implemented, and you see and you can hear that from the different interactions we are having, but our monitoring at this point unfortunately shows that the enforcement is becoming kind of stricter in many places.”

Political analyst Moeen Gul Samakni remarked: “It is essential for this issue to be examined within Afghanistan, and religious scholars should deliberate on it, not individuals from other countries who lack proper understanding.”

Another segment of the forum included the presentation of awards to journalists who have bravely pursued truth through their reporting.

Sadaf Popalzai, head of Arman and Arakozia Radios, received the 2024 Doha Forum Award on behalf of the Moby Group.

Upon receiving the award, Sadaf Popalzai said: “This award has been given to me this year on behalf of Afghanistan, particularly Moby Group. Furthermore, I dedicate it to the women who work in various fields. If they continue their efforts, they too will witness such moments.”

Representatives from over 100 countries have convened at this forum to address global challenges. On the second day, discussions are set to focus on international issues.

22nd Doha Forum Kicks Off With Focus on Afghanistan
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Decker: Upholding Doha Agreement, Supporting Afghan People Key Priorities

Regarding the issue of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, Munir Akram added that Pakistan will not expel those refugees who have entered the country legally.

Karen Decker, the Charge d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Afghanistan, told TOLOnews on the sidelines of the Doha Forum that the United States has two main objectives regarding Afghanistan: ensuring the implementation of the Doha Agreement and sending humanitarian aid to the people of Afghanistan.

The US Charge d’Affaires said: “We have two main goals when it comes to Afghanistan. The first is to make sure the counterterrorism commitments that were laid out in the Doha Agreement are upheld. That is a 365-day, year-round, 24/7 requirement, and hoping the Taliban do that is a priority. The second goal is supporting the Afghan people, and that comes in the form of humanitarian assistance, which we have provided more than two billion dollars since the fall of Kabul in 2021. I can’t speak for what the conditions are for other countries, but for the US, we have held firm that the government of Afghanistan gets its legitimacy from the will of the Afghan people, and it is the actions of the Taliban that are supported by the Afghan people. That is where they get their legitimacy from, not from a decision that we make.”

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, also speaking at the forum, described the relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan as inevitable due to their shared interests in various sectors. Munir Akram said there is a need to improve this cooperation through various means.

Munir Akram told TOLOnews: ” It is an inevitable relationship. We are two neighbors; we have to live with each other. The people of Afghanistan and Pakistan are very close ethnically, historically, and religiously. In every way, we are very close, and therefore, we have to find ways to live together, cooperate, and mutually develop our countries.”

Regarding the issue of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, Munir Akram added that Pakistan will not expel those refugees who have entered the country legally.

He further stated: “We do not intend to send back the refugees. All we are doing is sending back those who do not have proper documentation, who have crossed illegally, and who are living illegally in Pakistan. This is not only for Afghans; it applies to all illegal residents in Pakistan. We are simply applying our laws so that there are no illegal people in Pakistan. Anybody who has proper documentation, such as a refugee card or even an identity card, and has entered Pakistan legally, will have no problems.”

This comes as over 100 countries gathered at the 22nd Doha Forum to discuss global challenges.

Decker: Upholding Doha Agreement, Supporting Afghan People Key Priorities
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Khalilzad: ‘Taliban’ Must Be Prepared to Discuss Important Issues

Khalilzad also expressed hope that with the arrival of the new US government, relations between Kabul and Washington would improve.

Zalmay Khalilzad, former US special representative for peace in Afghanistan, has urged the interim government officials to be ready for discussions with the new US administration.

In an interview with TOLOnews, Khalilzad also said that normalizing relations between the Islamic Emirate and the international community would benefit both sides.

The former US special representative for peace in Afghanistan said: “Afghanistan is naturally an important issue, and the Taliban must be ready if there are discussions with the new US government about important matters, which will definitely happen. What is their perspective, and what are they willing to do to ensure normal and good relations between the Taliban, Afghanistan, and the US as a responsible member of the international community?”

Khalilzad also expressed hope that with the arrival of the new US government, relations between Kabul and Washington would improve.

He further said: “Normalizing Afghanistan’s relationship with the world is a positive step for the Afghan people and the Taliban. It will help improve the economic situation, allow Afghans to access education, attract more investments, and ensure the presence of embassies in Afghanistan.”

The former US special representative also emphasized education as a right for women and girls in the country and urged the interim Afghan government to pay serious attention to this issue in order to integrate into the international community.

He said: “To the level of deputy ministers, they have stated that education, even up to a doctoral degree, is the right of Afghan women and men. For several years, they have been saying, ‘Be patient, things will improve.’ But instead of improving, things are getting worse.”

Zalmay Khalilzad, on the sidelines of the 22nd Doha Forum, also stated that the interim government must respond to the legitimate demands of Afghan citizens in various sectors.

Khalilzad: ‘Taliban’ Must Be Prepared to Discuss Important Issues
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Afghanistan: Economy Shows Modest Growth After Two Years of Severe Contraction, But Recovery Remains Fragile

World Bank
DECEMBER 4, 2024
WASHINGTON, December 4, 2024—The Afghan economy is showing signs of moderate growth, but still faces significant headwinds, including fiscal constraints, trade imbalances, and a limited capacity for public investment, according to the World Bank’s latest Afghanistan Development Update.Afghanistan’s economic recovery remains uncertain. Modest GDP growth of 2.7%, driven by private consumption, has recouped only about 10% of past economic losses, indicative of the slow and fragile nature of the recovery.This level of growth has done little to address deeper structural issues and significant vulnerabilities within Afghanistan’s economy. Enabling women’s participation in the economy, strengthening domestic resource mobilization, maintaining price stability, and addressing critical deficits in human capital—particularly in education and healthcare, and especially for women—will be essential for long-term recovery and reducing vulnerability to future shocks.“Afghanistan’s long-term growth prospects depend on tapping into the substantial potential of the domestic private sector and improving the overall business environment,” said Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank Country Director for Afghanistan“Key to this is increased investment, providing access to finance to small businesses, and supporting educated and skilled women entrepreneurs so their businesses can thrive. Without this, the country risks prolonged stagnation with limited prospects for sustainable development.”

The partial recovery, coupled with falling food prices, has contributed to a gradual improvement in household welfare. But most Afghan households continue to struggle to meet basic needs and poverty remains widespread. Vulnerable groups, including women, children, and displaced populations, continue to bear the brunt of the economic hardship, due to the lack of social protection mechanisms. Night-time lights data analysis further indicates the uneven nature of economic recovery and the evolving landscape of economic activity in the country. In 2021, provinces whose economy was more heavily reliant on foreign aid and security spending —particularly Kabul and the southern provinces of Kandahar, Helmand, and Zabul—experienced the sharpest declines in economic activity compared to 2020. Similarly, by 2023, the level of economic activity captured by civilian night-time lights remains sizably below its 2020 baseline in Parwan, Kapisa, Zabul and, notably, in Kabul.

Afghanistan’s trade dynamics remain a significant challenge. In 2023-24, the country’s exports remained stable, but imports surged, leading to a widening trade deficit. However, the appreciation of the Afghani made imports cheaper, fueling demand for foreign goods, while domestic industrial activity revived, increasing the need for imported inputs. The trade deficit, exacerbated by Afghanistan’s reliance on imports for essential goods like fuel, food, and machinery, might pose a risk to the country’s economic stability.

The Afghanistan Development Update is part of the World Bank’s Afghanistan Futures program, which includes research, monitoring, and analytical reports on the Afghan economy and society. The program aims to support evidence-based policymaking and inform the international community on the economic developments in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan: Economy Shows Modest Growth After Two Years of Severe Contraction, But Recovery Remains Fragile
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