India on 22 December expressed concern over the order issued by the Taliban regime banning university education for women in Afghanistan.

“India has consistently supported the cause of women education in Afghanistan. We have emphasised the importance of the establishment of an inclusive and representative government that respects the rights of all Afghans and ensures the equal rights of women and girls to participate in all aspects of Afghan society, including access to higher education,” official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Arindam Bagchi said.

The spokesperson urged the Taliban to uphold the human rights of its citizens in line with UN resolutions.

“I’d like to recall the UN Resolution 2593 which reaffirms the importance of upholding human rights, including those of women, and that resolution also calls for equal and meaningful participation of women in everyday life,” Bagchi said.

On 20 December, the Taliban-run Higher Education Ministry banned female students from attending universities in Afghanistan.

“Private and public universities to implement the ban as soon as possible and to inform the ministry once the ban is in place,” the Associated Press had reported citing a letter shared by the spokesman for the Ministry of Higher Education, Ziaullah Hashmi.