An abaya is a long veil that covers the body. A niqab covers the face, except for the eyes.
Lesson without men
The decree was published yesterday. In addition to following the rules for face-covering clothing, women are only allowed to take classes in rooms without men. One exception: if they are separated from each other by curtains, they are allowed to take classes together.
In such shared classes, women have to leave the room up to five minutes earlier. They then have to stay in waiting rooms until the male students leave the building.
–
–
The Taliban also stipulate that female students may only be taught by other women. If that is not possible, ‘older’ male teachers with ‘good character’ can teach.
The decree only applies to private colleges and universities. These have grown enormously since the Taliban’s first rule ended in 2001.
First period of power
During the first period of power of the Islamist movement (1996-2001), women were not allowed to study at all in institutions where men also studied. At the time, women were required to wear a burqa outside the home and were preferably allowed to leave the house alone in the company of a male relative.
–
–
