Banned from schools, universities; female students start businesses

KABUL (TOLOnews): Following the closure of schools and universities for female students in the country, some girls have started their own businesses.
They said that after being denied access to education, they began starting new businesses in order to support their families and themselves. Kobra, a student of law and political science faculty at one of Kabul’s universities, said that she has opened a clothes and cosmetics shop.
“We work here, but our employment cannot replace our studies. To ensure our future and the future of our nation, as well as its development, we must study to become professionals,” Kobra told TOLOnews.
The women who came to Kobra to buy expressed happiness and said that buying from a woman is much more convenient and simple.
“We are happy to see that our sister are working under the rule of the Islamic Emirate. We can easily buy what we need from them,” said Atefa, a resident of Kabul.
“Universities and schools are closed to girls. We see that girls are selling things here, and we buy our necessary things from them easily,” said Madina, another resident of Kabul.
In the meantime, some female students asked the Islamic Emirate to immediately open schools and universities for girls.
“Personal business is good. Through this, I can be a good financial supporter for myself and my family; But I can’t develop my personality here. That’s why I need to go to university,” Ruqia, a student told TOLOnews.
This comes as the acting foreign minister of the Islamic Emirate said at the Institute of Strategic Studies of Pakistan that women’s education is not forbidden, and this ban is not permanent.
“We have never said that women’s education is forbidden, we have never said that women’s education is prohibited forever, but what has been said is that it will be suspended until further notice,” Muttaqi noted.
Nearly 140 days have passed since females were prohibited from attending universities, but there has been no word on their reopening.