In a recent development, the Taliban administration has halted the departure of 30 female scholars who had secured scholarships to pursue studies in the UAE. These students, including Laila, a 22-year-old, were beneficiaries of educational sponsorship provided by Khalaf Ahmed Al-Habtoor, a prominent UAE businessman.
Laila shared with AFP that the group of students had assembled at the airport, all set to embark on their educational journey to the United Arab Emirates. However, their plans were thwarted by male Taliban officials who prevented them from boarding their flights. Even the presentation of valid visas did not yield any positive outcome.
Laila expressed her disappointment, lamenting the shattered aspirations of achieving an advanced degree in law from Dubai. Condemning this action, the founder of Al Habtoor, the scholarship-granting entity, took to Twitter to criticize the Taliban’s stance and underscored the importance of enabling female students to pursue higher education. He highlighted that nearly 100 women had been granted scholarships in collaboration with Dubai University, a project that had been meticulously worked on by Al Habtoor personnel over the span of months. The founder called upon international organizations and influential global powers to intervene and advocate for the rights of female students to pursue their studies.
Human Rights Watch also voiced concerns regarding the Taliban’s decision to impede the educational opportunities of female students seeking to study abroad. They emphasized the significance of avoiding any hindrances to girls’ access to education.
Despite these developments, the Taliban government has not responded to AFP’s request for comments on the matter. It’s worth noting that since the Taliban assumed control of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, they have imposed bans on women’s employment and girls’ education at both high school and university levels.