Pakistani Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai has strongly condemned the Afghan Taliban’s oppressive policies restricting women’s and girls’ rights to education, calling it a clear case of gender apartheid. Speaking at the closing session of a two-day summit on girls’ education in Muslim nations, Malala urged the Muslim world to take decisive action against the Taliban regime.
Taliban’s Oppression of Women
“The Afghan Taliban have implemented over 100 laws that strip women of their rights to education, employment, healthcare, and fundamental freedoms. Women and girls who resist these oppressive rules are subjected to violence, detention, and abuse,” she stated, adding, “The Taliban do not even see women as human beings.”
Malala’s Appeal to Muslim Leaders
Malala urged Muslim leaders to move beyond rhetoric and take concrete steps to support Afghan women and girls:
- Recognize Gender Apartheid: Acknowledge the Taliban’s actions as a systematic erasure of women’s rights and refuse to legitimize their regime.
- Support Global Accountability: Advocate for the Crime Against Humanity Treaty, which aims to codify gender apartheid in international law. This would hold the Taliban accountable for their actions and empower global efforts to combat such extremism.
A Call for Real Change
The 27-year-old activist emphasized the urgency of creating robust tools to prevent regimes like the Taliban from erasing women and girls from society. “It’s time to take real action to protect the rights and lives of Afghan women and girls,” Malala concluded, urging governments to engage actively in these processes.
