Natkai, a 20-year-old student from Afghanistan, reveals that her last hope after the Taliban closed universities for women was to secure a scholarship that would enable her to study abroad, BBC reports.
Natkai, whose identity has been altered for safety reasons, explains that she persevered with her studies despite the bleak prospects of attending a local university. Eventually, she was granted a scholarship by Emirati billionaire Sheikh Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor to study at the University of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
This opportunity arose in response to the Taliban's ban on women attending universities, which led to the announcement of scholarships for Afghan women in December 2022. Around 100 Afghan women successfully obtained these scholarships, and a number of them had already made their way to Dubai. However, Natkai's optimism was short-lived. At the airport, Taliban officials discovered the student visas and tickets of these young women and declared that they were not allowed to leave the country using student visas.
Natkai was one among a group of about 60 young women who were turned away from the airport. Photos depict these girls, dressed in black hijabs or headscarves, standing beside their luggage, displaying shock and devastation. The Taliban's stringent rules dictate that women cannot travel alone but must be accompanied by a male companion, such as a husband, brother, uncle, or father.
Even adhering to this requirement did not prove sufficient. A few girls who had male companions were removed from the plane by officials from the Vice and Virtue ministry. Others who had borrowed money to afford a visa for a male companion were similarly prevented from departing. The University of Dubai and Sheikh Al Habtoor confirmed the incident.
In response to this setback, Sheikh Al Habtoor criticized the Taliban's actions in a video message and emphasized the equality of men and women in Islam. An Afghan girl, prevented from leaving for Dubai, also shared her distress in an audio note. International organizations and diplomats have expressed concern and disappointment over this recent move by the Taliban, seeing it as a further infringement on girls' and women's rights.
Natkai, who had been hopeful to pursue her dreams through the scholarship, is now disheartened. Her high school graduation and preparation for university entrance exams coincided with the Taliban's resurgence in August 2021. She holds the Taliban responsible for obstructing the aspirations of Afghan girls and calls for global support in ensuring that Afghan girls' education is not forsaken.
Feeling despondent and uncertain about her future, Natkai expresses her sadness over missing an opportunity to escape the constraints faced by girls in a country where being female is treated as a transgression. She finds it difficult to find words for the Taliban, as she believes they do not recognize or value the worth of women. Her plea to the world is not to abandon Afghan girls and their pursuit of education, as she grapples with the uncertainty that lies ahead.
This morning, in the presence of Dr. Essa Al Bastaki @ebastaki and the management team at Al Habtoor Group, I met three Afghan female students who made it to #Dubai safely, They are among those who received the comprehensive scholarship that I provided them with in collaboration… pic.twitter.com/PlDaNlbDlO
— Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor (@KhalafAlHabtoor) August 24, 2023
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