Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, criticised the Taliban's decision to ban girls from school and university, a move he said was a breach of their human rights and at odds with the teachings of Islam.
Sheikh Abdullah made the comments in a phone conversation with Mevlut Cavusoglu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, during which they discussed the recent developments in Afghanistan and the visit to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem by a member of the Israeli parliament.
The two ministers discussed concerns over the Taliban’s recent ban on women’s access to education and their exclusion from jobs with NGOs and humanitarian organisations.
"Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed underscored that this decision, as well as the earlier bans on girls from accessing secondary education, violate fundamental human rights, and emphasised that Islam devoted significant attention to women, granted them a privileged position, and safeguarded their rights," state news agency Wam reported.
"He affirmed the need to guarantee women's rights, as well as the importance of full and equal participation of women and girls in all aspects of life.
Mr Cavusoglu reaffirmed Turkey's expectation for this decision to be reversed and emphasised the importance of co-ordinated efforts, particularly through the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation.
During the phone call, the ministers also reiterated their condemnation of the visit to the Al Aqsa Mosque by Israeli security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right member of the new administration.
"They underlined the importance of preserving the status and sanctity of holy places in Jerusalem and increasing co-ordination against such unacceptable acts," Wam said.
"They reiterated the need to provide full protection for Al-Aqsa Mosque and halt serious and provocative violations taking place there and called upon Israeli authorities to assume responsibility for reducing escalation and instability in the region."
