Muslim scholars urge Taliban to ensure education for women

A delegation of Muslim scholars from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) reminded Afghanistan's interim Taliban government on Wednesday that education is an "Islamic obligation for both men and women."

They discussed the issue with Afghan Minister of Education Mawlawi Habibullah Agha and Minister of Higher Education Mawlawi Nida Muhammad Nadim in the capital Kabul, said a statement by the OIC.

"During the meetings, both sides stressed that education is an Islamic obligation for both men and women, with the consensus of the Ummah (Muslim community) scholars," the statement added.

According to the OIC, the delegation of Muslim scholars and thinkers arrived in Kabul last Thursday to meet with Afghan scholars along with ministers and officials of the de facto government.

The delegation "stressed the need to exert all effort to enable boys and girls to enroll in all levels of education and all specializations needed by the Afghan people at this critical stage in their history," said the statement.

Taliban officials briefed the delegation on the efforts exerted by the interim administration "in reviewing curricula and providing a safe environment for girls' education throughout the country," it said.

It added that the scholars "confirmed the readiness of the OIC member states to provide all possible support in this regard."

Notably, the delegation met with Afghan acting Interior Minister Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani on Monday, who said education was a "shared need of Muslims" and had urged "patience" on the issue of girls' education in the war-torn nation.

Meanwhile, the OIC Secretary-General's envoy for Afghanistan, Tarig Ali Bakhit, met Wednesday with interim Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul.

They discussed the outcome of the visit of the OIC delegation of scholars to Afghanistan, said a separate statement by the OIC.

It said the delegation held several meetings with Afghan scholars and officials on issues of utmost importance to the OIC, such as tolerance in Islam, girls' education and women's work.