Afghanistan universities await Taliban leader's consent to readmit women

Kabul [Afghanistan], August 14 : Afghanistan universities are ready to readmit female students once again but are waiting for Taliban's decision on when it can happen or whether it happens or not, Khaama Press reported citing education officials. 
Earlier in December, Neda Mohammed Nadeem, Afghanistan’s Minister of Higher Education said that it is important to impose the ban to maintain gender segregation and he is concerned about certain subjects clashing with Islamic principles. 
He stated that the restriction imposed by Hibatullah Akhundzada, the supreme leader of the Taliban, will continue until further notice, reported Khaama Press. 
However, Mawlavi Abdul Jabbar, Ministry of Higher Education advisor said that the universities are fully prepared to welcome back to welcome female students immediately once they will receive directives from Akhundzada to lift the ban. 
However, he could not mention any specific timeline for the decision, according to Khaama Press. 
The Taliban assured that once the logistical challenges related to uniforms and transportation will be addressed, girls would be allowed to attend the classes. However, girls are denied entry into the classrooms despite such assurances. 
The Taliban imposed these restrictions on women from attending educational institutions in December. The decision came after another restriction on limiting girls' access to education after sixth grade. 
Adding to that, the Taliban is the only country to impose extensive bans on female education. 
Earlier in June, women and girl students in Afghanistan expressed concerns about their uncertain future as they have been banned from attending universities for about six months, reported TOLO News.
Suraya Paikan, a women's rights activist said, "The education of girls is very important for Afghan society and it can have an important role in the development of the country, but unfortunately, the doors of education are closed for girls."
The first set of university exams was held in 11 of the 34 provinces in Afghanistan without any girl or women students. 
On Sunday, Former United Kingdom Prime Minister Gordon Brown called the treatment of Afghan women and girls "gender apartheid" and urged the American government and the UK government to impose sanctions on the Taliban, people directly responsible for such policies, TOLO News reported.
He criticized the restriction on Afghan women and called it a flagrant abuse of human rights and "systematic.
Commenting on the current situation in Afghanistan, Brown said, "Everybody I think who studies knows that there is nothing in Islam that says that girls’ education should be banned ... and it’s gender persecution and gender apartheid."
Moreover, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has criticised the imposition of restrictions on Afghan women, Afghanistan-based Tolo News reported.
In the report, HRW said that Afghan women have been denied the right to education, employment, and social involvement since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan.