A major historical change in education and equality is being made in Afghanistan with the country's first university for women.
According to Afghanistan’s first lady, Rula Ghani, the National Unity Government (NUG) has been working on building the women’s university in Kabul, the country's capital.
Though the specific date has not been released for when the country’s government would inaugurate the university, Ghani said the higher education institution would be established in the near future, as preparations are currently underway, according to the International Business Times.
“Founding a university just for women is such a good thing for Afghanistan,” said Ken Holland, executive director of the Center for the International Development at Ball State. “Afghanistan is losing talents of half of their population due to women not being able to contribute to society.”
Holland has taken 58 trips to Afghanistan since 2006. He was active in the International Development’s partnership with The National Institute of Management and Administration (NIMA) who worked together to help a two-year Afghan university receive accreditation.
During his time in working in the project, Holland said the percentage of women students within the university was extremely low, because women from the provinces were not given the same educational equalities as the boys. This resulted in women failing the entrance exam to get into an existing university.
According to International Business Times, schools and colleges, especially places where girls are educated, are targeted by the Taliban Islamist because extremists consider education for women “un-Islamic” and forbidden.
“Many people are concerned that the Taliban might return as a result of this university,” Holland said. “But the more educated women there are, the more resistance there will be.”
Though it is not our country, Holland said Americans should care about this university being created.
“Ever since the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan by the U.S., we have been responsible for healing and helping Afghanistan become a modern county,” Holland said. “These women are now going to school and wanting to get their degrees and enter the work force as a direct result of the U.S. government’s intervention. We should be very proud as Americans.”
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