RASC News Agency: Ahmad Shara’a, better known as Abu Muhammad al-Golani, the leader of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and the de facto ruler of Syria, has expressed firm support for women’s education, asserting that Syria, unlike Afghanistan, is not a tribal society. In a recent interview with the BBC, al-Golani refuted claims suggesting that Syria might devolve into “another Afghanistan.” He stated, “Afghanistan operates as a tribal society, whereas Syria boasts a diversity of perspectives and ideologies.” Highlighting the progress made in educational access, particularly in the northwestern province of Idlib, which has been under rebel administration since 2011, he noted, “For over eight years, universities have thrived in Idlib. I estimate that more than 60% of our university students are women.”
This progressive stance contrasts starkly with the regressive policies imposed by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Since their return to power on August 15, 2021, the Taliban have systematically dismantled women’s access to education and employment. They have prohibited girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade, barred women from university entrance exams, and recently banned female enrollment in medical institutions nationwide. Furthermore, the Taliban have instructed medical schools to cease admitting female students entirely. Reports also reveal that the Taliban have ordered universities to terminate the employment of female administrative staff, mandating that their roles be transferred to male colleagues. Female employees have been directed to nominate male family members as their replacements. Under the Taliban’s newly codified “Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice” policies, women are further restricted from public religious practices such as reciting the Quran aloud or praying in raised voices.
Critics argue that these draconian measures, far from being rooted in Islamic principles, stem from the Taliban’s deeply entrenched tribal and cultural traditions. Despite this, the Taliban continue to enforce these antiquated edicts under the guise of religious doctrine, a move that has drawn widespread condemnation from both domestic and international observers. By contrast, al-Golani’s acknowledgment of women’s education as a cornerstone of societal development underscores a sharp ideological divergence between the leadership in Syria and Afghanistan’s Taliban regime.
