Taliban Deputy FM Acknowledges Injustice Against Afghan Women

The Taliban’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs has admitted that the group’s decision to bar girls from attending schools and universities lacks any religious justification.

Abbas Stanekzai stated that the prohibition on women’s education is solely the personal view of Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s supreme leader.

Speaking at a graduation ceremony for religious school students in Khost Province on Saturday, Stanekzai said the Taliban’s actions are contrary to Islamic law and have deprived Afghanistan’s 20 million women of their fundamental rights.

Since taking control of Afghanistan, the Taliban has closed schools to girls beyond the sixth grade, barred women from universities, and imposed severe restrictions on their participation in public life. Women are prohibited from working in government positions, banned from non-governmental organisations, and prevented from accessing recreational facilities, including parks and sports activities. The group has also declared women’s voices as inappropriate to be heard publicly.

Stanekzai criticised these measures as un-Islamic and suggested that they reflect the personal inclinations of the Taliban leader rather than any religious doctrine. He appealed to the Taliban leadership to reopen schools and universities to girls, emphasising that no valid reason or excuse justifies these restrictions.

This is not the first instance where Stanekzai has spoken out against the Taliban’s policies towards women. He has previously criticised the ban on girls’ education and called for greater respect for women’s rights.

During his speech, Stanekzai underscored the importance of education in Islamic history, asserting: “Out of Afghanistan’s 40 million population, we are committing injustice against 20 million women. How will we answer for this on the Day of Judgement?”

He also highlighted the harsh conditions women face under Taliban rule, noting that they are often denied their rightful inheritance, forced into traditional compensatory marriages, and excluded from places of worship and learning. He questioned whether these actions align with Islamic principles.

The Taliban deputy foreign minister acknowledged that international criticism of the Taliban is largely driven by the group’s treatment of women. “The entire world confronts us over this issue. They criticise us for it. We have taken a path that is shaped by our own personal tendencies, not by Islamic law,” Stanekzai said.

His remarks come in the face of repeated instructions from Hibatullah Akhundzada, who has urged Taliban officials to refrain from publicly criticising the group’s policies. Instead, he has directed them to convey their opinions privately.

Over the past three years, numerous Islamic leaders and scholars around the world have challenged the Taliban’s stance on women, arguing that it violates the principles of Islamic teachings.