Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai called the government the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan” (the name the Taliban gives to the country)*) allow Afghan women to study at medical universities. TOLOnews reports this.
Karzai said the ban was “deeply regrettable, especially at a time when Afghan women across the country face serious health problems.” In his statement he emphasized that “the only path to self-sufficiency and the key force for the development of the country in various fields is education.” In this sense, he urged the Islamic Emirate to “immediately reverse the decision to prohibit girls from medical education and, in addition, open schools and universities for them as soon as possible to avoid the loss of young talents, who are the invaluable and main asset of the nation”.
“Afghanistan will overcome its dependence on foreign aid and its internal problems only when it has its own specialists. This can only happen if educational opportunities are available for all young people, both girls and boys,” said the former president.
Karzai’s statement comes amid growing Western pressure on IEA authorities and a reaction to the decision to ban medical education for Afghan women. The EU urged the Islamic Emirate to reverse this decision and fulfill its obligations under international law, including ensuring equal access to education and basic healthcare for all Afghans. At the moment, the IEA Ministry of Health has not officially commented on the closure of girls’ medical universities.
*Terrorist organization banned on the territory of the Russian Federation.
