Taliban ban on higher education for young women 'not humanistic': Türkiye

Türkiye calls on Taliban to reverse decision, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says, adding that it is against Islam

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - Türkiye rejects and is “saddened” by the new ban on higher education for young women in Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday.

"This prohibition is neither Islamic nor humanistic. We reject such a ban," Cavusoglu said at a news conference with his Yemeni counterpart Ahmed Awad BinMubarak in the capital Ankara.

Cavusoglu's remarks came after the Taliban-run Higher Education Ministry on Tuesday issued a decision to ban young women from university education until further notice.

Afghanistan's ban on female students truly upsets Türkiye and is a "serious concern,” Cavusoglu said, calling on the Taliban to reverse its decision.

"What harm does women's education do to Afghanistan, and what is the benefit of this ban? ... Our religion Islam is not against education, on the contrary, it supports education.

"We expect the Taliban to abandon this decision. Türkiye will continue to provide education and scholarships to our Afghan sisters," Cavusoglu added.

Kaynak: