Malala Yousafzai has denounced the Taliban government’s repressive policies towards women and girls in Afghanistan, calling them a betrayal of Islamic values. The Nobel Peace Prize winner told an international summit that the Taliban does not see women as human beings, and their policies are “nothing Islamic.” Malala described the Taliban’s restrictions on education and work for women and girls as a system of gender apartheid.
The 27-year-old activist was shot in the head by a Pakistani Taliban gunman at age 15 for speaking out about girls’ education. She has since become a vocal advocate for girls’ education, calling on Muslim leaders to challenge the Taliban’s policies.
Malala’s comments came as the Taliban government continues to restrict women’s rights in Afghanistan. The country is now the only place where women and girls are barred from accessing secondary and higher education. Some 1.5 million have been denied schooling, and girls are banned from education beyond grade six.
The international community has largely condemned the Taliban’s policies, with Western powers calling for their change. Malala urged those present at the summit to “call out the worst violations” of girls’ right to education, warning that crises in countries like Afghanistan, Yemen, and Sudan mean the entire future of girls is stolen.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c70qz9ly1eko