Afghanistan’s top cricket stars Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi have urged the Taliban to reconsider their ban on women’s access to medical education and training, terming the move “deeply unjust”.
“Education holds a central place in Islamic teachings, emphasising the pursuit of knowledge for both men and women,” Afghanistan’s T20 captain Rashid wrote in a social media post on Wednesday.
“The Quran highlights the importance of learning and acknowledges the equal spiritual worth of both genders,” he added.
Earlier this week the Taliban announced their decision to forbid older girls and women from receiving medical education and training, closing all avenues for them to become doctors, nurses or midwives.
Rashid, who said he was speaking out in support of his Afghan “sisters and mothers”, believes the decision will profoundly affect Afghan women’s future as well as “the broader fabric of society”.
The 26-year-old global icon of the sport said the country “desperately needs professionals in every field, especially the medical sector”.
He pointed to Afghan women’s expression of “pain and sorrow” through social media as a “poignant reminder of the struggles they face”.
In a detailed post, written in both English and his native Dari language, Rashid said: “The acute shortage of female doctors and nurses is particularly concerning, as it directly impacts the healthcare and dignity of women.”
🤲🏻🤲🏻🇦🇫🇦🇫 pic.twitter.com/rYtNtNaw14
— Rashid Khan (@rashidkhan_19) December 4, 2024
“It is essential for our sisters and mothers to have access to care provided by medical professionals who truly understand their needs.”
The all-rounder, who consistently ranks among the world’s top players in limited-overs cricket, urged the Taliban to reconsider their decision.
“Providing education to all is not just a societal responsibility but a moral obligation deeply rooted in our faith and values,” he concluded.
A few hours after Rashid’s outpouring of concern and support, former captain Nabi, too, raised the issue on X.
“The Taliban’s decision to ban girls from studying medicine is not only heartbreaking but deeply unjust,” Nabi wrote.
The veteran all-rounder, who has been representing Afghanistan since 2009, pointed to the importance placed on education in Islam and asked the Taliban to reflect on the religion’s values.
“Denying girls the chance to learn and serve their people is a betrayal of both their dreams and our nation’s future. Let our daughters study, grow, and build a better Afghanistan for everyone. This is their right, and it is our duty to protect it,” Nabi added.
— Mohammad Nabi (@MohammadNabi007) December 4, 2024
Human Rights Watch has criticised the move, which it said “closed one of the last remaining loopholes in their [Taliban’s] ban on education for older girls and women”.
The rights body said the ban would result in “unnecessary pain, misery, sickness, and death for the women forced to go without healthcare, as there won’t be female healthcare workers to treat them”.
At least 1.4 million school-age Afghan girls are being “deliberately deprived” of their right to an education, according to the United Nations, which has said the Taliban government has put “the future of an entire generation in jeopardy”.
Afghanistan is the only country in the world to stop girls and women from attending secondary schools and universities.
The Taliban administration, which is not recognised by any other country, has imposed restrictions on women that the UN has described as “gender apartheid”.
