Malala Yousafzai Calls for Global Action Against Taliban's Gender Apartheid

During an address at an international summit, Malala Yousafzai condemned the Taliban's treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan, describing their policies as a form of gender apartheid. She encouraged Muslim leaders to confront the regime's repressive actions and highlighted the urgent need for educational rights for girls globally.

Malala Yousafzai, the prominent advocate for girls' education, has called upon Muslim leaders to take a stand against the Taliban's oppressive governance in Afghanistan, which she argues reflects a profound disregard for women as human beings. Speaking at an international summit on girls' education in Pakistan, Yousafzai asserted, "The Taliban do not acknowledge the humanity of women." She passionately urged attendees to recognize that the Taliban's actions, including the prohibition of female education and employment, are contrary to Islamic principles.

Having survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban at the age of 15 due to her advocacy, Yousafzai expressed her happiness in attending the summit back in her homeland, acknowledging it had been a rare occasion for her since the attack. She warned that the Taliban has reinstated "a system of gender apartheid," where women who defy their draconian laws face brutal repercussions, including physical harm and imprisonment. Furthermore, she emphasized that the Taliban camouflage their abuses with justifications rooted in culture and religion, despite contradicting the very essence of their faith.

Although the Taliban was invited to the summit organized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Muslim World League, they declined to attend, a reflection of their isolation on the international stage. No government has officially recognized the Taliban since they regained power in Afghanistan in 2021, with ongoing criticism from Western nations about their restrictions on women and girls.

Currently, Afghanistan stands as the only nation worldwide barring women and girls from secondary and higher education. Roughly 1.5 million young females have been systematically deprived of education, with the Taliban's promises to reopen schools pending numerous unresolved issues, including an “Islamic” curriculum. Recently, regulations were enacted preventing women from training in critical professions such as midwifery and nursing, further stifling their educational opportunities.

Yousafzai highlighted the broader, global context of threats to girls' education and cited serious crises in Gaza, Yemen, and Sudan, where the futures of countless girls are being jeopardized. Her message was clear: urgent, collective action is needed to confront the escalating violations of women's rights in Afghanistan and beyond.