Afghan women stopped by Taliban from attending university in Dubai

Dozens of young women have been barred by the Taliban from leaving for the United Arab Emirates where they were planning to complete their university education.

Khalaf Al Habtoor, a prominent Emirati businessman, in a video message on X, said, that he had sponsored about 100 Afghan female students for pursuing their higher education in collaboration with the University of Dubai.

However, his office received "the uncomfortable news" on Wednesday that Taliban authorities prevented the young women from boarding a plane waiting for them at Kabul airport.

"This has left me lost for words to describe the disappointment I currently feel," said Al Habtoor, the founder and chairman of Al Habtoor Group.

Al Habtoor group is regarded as one of the largest privately owned conglomerates in the UAE.

Al Habtoor said that he was “unable to express the disappointment” as the students could not reach Dubai, where his organization had already arranged university admissions, accommodation, transport, and other facilities for the girls after months of efforts.

While requesting the involved parties to intervene, Al Habtoor wrote on X, formerly Twitter, "Our aspirations were crushed. The authorities in Afghanistan, without justification, prevented their departure, unjustly curtailing their freedom. This stands as a profound tragedy, a blow against the principles of humanity, education, equality, and justice."

Al Habtoor, pledged in December to help bring at least 100 female Afghan students to the UAE for higher education.

One of the Afghan students sent a voice message to Al Habtoor saying they had not been allowed to board the flight at the airport.

“Right now, we are in the airport but unfortunately the government did not allow us to fly to Dubai,” the student said in the voice message.

“They saw the student visa and the ticket, but they did not allow us. I do not know what to do. Please help us. We are so concerned,” she added.

The student said that some were barred from traveling despite being accompanied by a male guardian, or "mahram".

Since the Taliban assumed power, girls more than 12 years of age have been barred from attending school and a nationwide ban has been implemented on women from attending universities.

Afghan women have also been banned from working in various sectors with restrictions imposed even on their movement.

SS