Disappointment, teary eyes on Twitter after Afghanistan bans higher education for women

The Taliban government in Afghanistan has issued a ban on university education for women, preventing them from pursuing higher studies. Though no one is surprised — given their history of constant female suppression — Twitter is condemning this gross violation of human rights and demanding that the international community take action.

On Tuesday, the ministry of higher education announced the news in a letter issued to all government and private universities. “You all are informed to implement the mentioned order of suspending the education of females until further notice,” read the letter signed by Minister for Higher Education Neda Mohammad Nadeem.

Netizens are taking a stand on social media, making sure everyone knows what’s going on in Afghanistan. Author Bina Shah also commented on the matter, saying she was “too depressed” to process it and sent God’s wrath on those who deny women their right to education.

A dark day indeed.

International NGO Human Rights Watch denounced the “shameful” decision and stressed on the Afghan Taliban’s utter disregard for women’s rights.

This Twitter user recalled when the Taliban did the same to schoolgirls and said the pain is not surface-level anymore.

More users talked about how the country is becoming one huge prison for women where they are being denied the means for independence.

They called on the world to take action.

From controlling what women wear to what they do with their time, the Taliban government has confirmed everyone’s worst fears when it comes to the suppression of women’s rights. By disallowing them to go to university, they have effectively stripped them of any chance they have at autonomy.

The world was very hesitant about accepting the Taliban government and eyed it suspiciously despite its promises of change. But it did not deliver. We must do all we can to prevent them from inflicting violence on women because yes, denying someone their rights is a form of violence.