A senior member of the Taliban, Sher Abbas Stanikzai, has publicly urged the group’s leader to lift the ban on education for Afghan women and girls. His comments were made during a speech at a religious school ceremony in Khost province.
Stanikzai emphasized that there’s no valid reason to deny education to women and girls, stating, “There was no justification for it in the past and there shouldn’t be one now.” Currently, the Taliban government allows education for girls only up to sixth grade. Reports last September indicated that education for women in medical fields had also been halted.
In Afghanistan, healthcare for women is restricted to female doctors, yet the government has not confirmed the ban on medical training. Stanikzai also expressed concern over the injustices faced by 20 million people in Afghanistan. He labeled the current restrictions as un-Islamic and based on personal choices rather than religious beliefs.
Stanikzai previously led the Taliban’s negotiations that resulted in the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan. This is not the first time he has advocated for women’s right to education, having made similar statements in 2022 when schools for girls were shut down. However, this is the first time he has explicitly called for a policy change in his communication with Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.
Analyst Ibraheem Bahiss noted that Stanikzai’s recent statements indicate a significant shift. By directly questioning the legitimacy of the education bans, he might be signaling a potential change in Taliban policy.
Earlier this month, Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai also spoke out, urging Muslim leaders to challenge the Taliban’s restrictions on education. She made her remarks at a conference in Islamabad, which was organized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
The United Nations has stated that gaining recognition for the Taliban remains nearly impossible as long as they enforce bans on female education and employment. Currently, no country officially recognizes the Taliban as Afghanistan’s legitimate rulers, although some nations, like Russia and India, have been cautiously engaging with them. Recently, Indian Foreign Minister Vikram Mistri met with his Afghan counterpart in Dubai, highlighting an ongoing effort to strengthen diplomatic ties.
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