Terming the Taliban’s continued ban on girls' education in Afghanistan “deeply damaging”, UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said that the denial of education "violates the human rights of girls and women". The ultra-conservative Islamist group on Wednesday reversed its decision on allowing girls from grade 6 to 12 to schools, in a sudden order that sent a shock wave to millions of girls who were hopeful of resuming their classes. 

“The denial of education violates the human rights of women and girls – beyond their equal right to education, it leaves them more exposed to violence, poverty, and exploitation,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said, adding that the “de-facto authorities” failed to adhere to its commitment despite giving assurances. 

On Wednesday, hours after the opening of girls’ schools across the country, the Taliban’s Ministry of Education issued a directive, ordering the closure of schools for all senior girls until further notice—a move, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, "jeopardizes" the country’s future. 

For many, the move was the biggest shocker since the Taliban’s return to power last year in August. Not only did it put the future of a whole gender at risk, but it also reinforced the opinions that the groups’ ideological positions remains unchanged on most basic issues.

Furthermore, it also indicates that hardliners in Taliban appear in no mood to offer any concessions to those who differ from their views. 

Kabir Taneja, a fellow at New Delhi-based think tank Observer Research Foundation, opined that the last year’s  military victory of the group makes it difficult for it to change its ideological positions.  

 “Many saw girls' education as low-hanging fruit for Taliban to show its commitments to change. But ideological change is easier said than done. As victors, Taliban has to sell this to its cadre. Hardliners (ie most Taliban) would ask why change when we won,” Taneja, an expert on Afghanistan and the Middle East, tweeted. 

Another analyst Asfandyar Mir said the decision will have far-reaching consequences on the way the international community looks at the Taliban. 

“Major setback for the argument that Taliban assurances and commitments can be enforced with a combination of engagement, conditionalities, and inducements,” Mir, who studies political violence in South Asia at the US Insitute of Peace (USIP), a Washington-based think tank, said in a tweet. 

The ban, he added, will also have an impact on how the Biden administration considers the Taliban’s assurances on other issues, including aim the fundamental issue of counter-terrorism. 

(SAM)