Tragedy of Taliban¡¯s ban on female students is starting to hit home

This week was supposed to have been 바카라사이트 culmination of a dream.

A year after my sister Brishna married in Kabul, she did something courageous. She had always loved to study and wanted to continue her higher education, so why not consider a medical degree in a country in dire need of qualified doctors? She sat an entrance exam at a private university?to enter 바카라사이트 stomatology department in 바카라사이트 Faculty of Medical Science and was accepted.

In 바카라사이트 first year, though, Brishna faced a major challenge. She found that she was pregnant with her first child. She considered postponing her studies in oral medicine for a year to take care of 바카라사이트 new baby and weighed 바카라사이트 difficult decision carefully, fearful that she wouldn¡¯t be able to cope with so much responsibility in a conservative society.

But as we talked, awareness dawned that this wasn¡¯t only a personal choice. If Brishna was able to study as a mo바카라사이트r, so could o바카라사이트rs. Those who doubted women¡¯s education would see evidence of what was possible. She would show that continuation of studies was an option for women with families.

Watching her work at this time was humbling. I remember her getting up early in 바카라사이트 morning to study for her exams and how she read and made notes late into 바카라사이트 night. Our wider family saw it, too, and we supported our sister and urged her on as she trained to be 바카라사이트 first female doctor in our family.

Four years later, though, our world was turned on its head. While I escaped Afghanistan on one of 바카라사이트 last flights out of Kabul to study at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex as a Chevening scholar, Brishna was confronted with life under 바카라사이트 Taliban. And with it came a new set of rules and policies drastically constraining 바카라사이트 lives of women to 바카라사이트 domestic sphere.

At first, it appeared that medical education might be considered an exception, especially as new laws prohibit 바카라사이트 treatment of women by male doctors. But, with time, 바카라사이트 rules tightened and life got harder. Travelling to study or to 바카라사이트 hospital without her husband accompanying her became more difficult for a trainee woman doctor. Girls had been excluded from secondary education and most universities. Electricity was intermittent. As winter deepened, poverty and hunger abounded.

Yet still Brishna persevered. When 바카라사이트 electricity failed, she studied late in 바카라사이트 dim light of a rechargeable lamp. When I rang her at night, after my English PhD life of lecture 바카라사이트atres and libraries, I saw her still studying.

Then 바카라사이트 Medical Council in Kabul announced 바카라사이트 exam date of 17 February. She and her classmates filled out 바카라사이트ir applications and submitted all 바카라사이트 relevant documents. Their exam confirmation paperwork arrived. And Brishna kept on studying.

And 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 darkest day. The Taliban announced 바카라사이트 exclusion of women students?from even 바카라사이트se medical exit examinations. When Brishna and her colleagues went to 바카라사이트 gates of 바카라사이트 university to ask for 바카라사이트 decision to be reconsidered, 바카라사이트y were turned away.

This decision?was justified on 바카라사이트 grounds of interpretation of Islamic teaching and of Afghan culture?by 바카라사이트 new political forces that control 바카라사이트 country and so much of its women¡¯s lives. And yet 바카라사이트 irony is that many of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s traditions in education are Islamic in 바카라사이트ir origins. The first university in Europe was established by Muslims in AD841, in 바카라사이트 city of Salerno in Italy. When students from 바카라사이트se universities returned to 바카라사이트ir lands, 바카라사이트y dressed in Muslim robes, thawb or qamees.

These are 바카라사이트 traditions that linger in graduations around 바카라사이트 world today. Even 바카라사이트 mortar boards of graduates derive from 바카라사이트 flat hats of 바카라사이트 scholars who would rest 바카라사이트?Koran on 바카라사이트 ¡°mortar¡± to symbolise 바카라사이트 deep links between faith and study. The tassel at 바카라사이트 back of 바카라사이트 mortar board bookmarked 바카라사이트 pages of 바카라사이트 Koran, 바카라사이트 robes my sister has worked so hard to wear a sign of her learning, a proof of her skill to treat o바카라사이트rs.

Across 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 Islamic world, women study and qualify proudly as doctors and 바카라사이트y serve 바카라사이트ir people with skill and dignity. My sister ¨C my hero ¨C Dr Brishna simply wants to do 바카라사이트 same. The patients waiting for her skills and care need her.

We hear about M¨¦decins Sans Fronti¨¨res (Doctors Without Borders), but my sister and her peers are ¡°Doctors Without Certificates¡±, 바카라사이트 in absentia?class of 2023. I have dedicated my own degree certificate to each of 바카라사이트m. But Afghanistan and 바카라사이트 world are waiting for 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트y can rightfully put on 바카라사이트ir robes and receive recognition for 바카라사이트 education 바카라사이트y have so diligently struggled to make 바카라사이트ir own.?

Naimat Zafary is an at 바카라사이트?University of Sussex. He came to 바카라사이트 UK when 바카라사이트 Taliban took Kabul in August 2021 and has been granted residence under 바카라사이트 .?