RASC News Agency: United Nations experts have denounced the Taliban’s decision to ban women from studying in medical institutions as “incomprehensible” and have called for the immediate reversal of this decree, which they view as a severe violation of women’s fundamental rights. In a statement issued on Monday, December 9, the experts warned that implementing this ban would deliver an “unjustifiable and indefensible blow” to the health, dignity, and future of Afghanistani women and girls.
Labeling the ban as both misleading and profoundly alarming, the experts stated:
“This draconian measure will inevitably lead to avoidable suffering, heightened illness rates, and the potential deaths of Afghanistani women and children, both in the present and for generations to come. Such a policy could rightfully be classified as femicide.”
The experts highlighted the dire state of maternal and child healthcare in Afghanistan, noting that the country already endures one of the world’s highest maternal and infant mortality rates. They warned that enforcing this prohibition would exacerbate Afghanistan’s ongoing health crisis, leaving deep and long-lasting scars on the nation. They called upon the international community to stand resolutely with Afghanistani women, providing them with unwavering support and advocacy.
“The global community must unite in solidarity and take decisive action to ensure the fundamental rights of Afghanistani women and girls are protected, while holding the Taliban accountable for their reprehensible actions,” the statement emphasized.This decree by the Taliban comes amid Afghanistan’s acute shortage of healthcare professionals in various sectors, further compounding the nation’s healthcare crisis.
