The fear of women, by Sima Samar

The rector of the University of Kabul has just announced that no woman will be allowed to teach or study at the university, despite the fact that he himself studied there, at the Faculty of Literature, with a mixed model in recent years.

Three weeks ago, however, the Ministry of Higher Education authorized private universities to teach women. If there were more than 15 per classroom, they studied alone, but if there were fewer, a curtain had to separate them from the men. In the absence of enough female teachers, an older man with good morals could teach. But who has good morals? Who oppress their wives and daughters and prevent them from getting an education?

“If you educate a woman, you educate a family and a society”

The Taliban's approach is not Islamic. The first message to the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was: iqra (read). There is a quote from the Prophet that all Muslims, both men and women, have to get an education. The Taliban therefore do not apply Islamic principles.

Access to education is a basic human right. The lack of access has negative consequences for the health of half the population and for society in general. Child marriage increases the rate of infant and maternal mortality. The reproductive age is getting longer and more children are being born, but in Afghanistan, the rate of population growth is far outpacing the available resources. That, in turn, increases poverty and leads to increased crime and radicalization. Uneducated women do not have enough self-confidence to confront domestic violence, nor do they have the autonomy to make decisions about their reproductive health.

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— Elan Chalford Thu Apr 22 01:15:42 +0000 2010

Violence at home leads to violence against children in schools and on the streets and throughout the country. Children witness their parents' violence and replicate it in their personal lives. The problem continues for generations.

We have a famous saying that if you educate a man, you educate a person, and if you educate a woman, you educate a family, and you educate a society. Educated women will have a healthier family, will oppose the violation of their rights, and will not be easily oppressed.

Educated women can look after the well-being of their families, which helps to reduce violence and poverty. They also contribute to the development of sustainable peace in the country and, in general, to a better world.

Those who are afraid of educated women are people without self-confidence and afraid of losing their power and control. It is what we have today in Afghanistan. The Taliban have not changed. As a late feminist friend said:

"Men of quality do not fear equality."