Afghan medical students travel to Scotland to defy Taliban ban on girls’ education
The dream of training as doctors looked to have been snatched away from a group of young Afghan women when the Taliban took control of their country three years ago but thanks to a charity they can now finish their studies in Scotland
Nineteen medical students from Afghanistan have arrived in Scotland to continue with their degrees, after the Taliban’s rise to power in their country meant they were forbidden from continuing their education there.
There were tears from some of the students as they arrived at Edinburgh Airport on Monday.
The women were met by John and Lorna Norgrove – the parents of Scottish aid worker Linda Norgrove, who was kidnapped and later killed in Afghanistan during a rescue attempt by US special forces in 2010.
The charity set up to remember her, the Linda Norgrove Foundation, has worked with both the Scottish and UK governments to bring the young women to the UK so they can complete their courses.
Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill and Scottish Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth were also at the airport to meet the women.
The handshakes and hugs marked the end of two years of efforts by the charity and the administrations.
The students were forced to give up medicine after the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan three years ago and clamped down on women’s rights.
One of the students, Zahra Hussaini, who will be studying at the University of Glasgow, said the Taliban "make you think that being a woman is a crime".
"Things completely changed for everyone, especially for girls and the most important part was about our education": Student Zahra Hussaini was among the women who was forced to leave Afghanistan to study in Scotland
Before arriving in Scotland, all the students had to undergo TB tests, English tests, and completed university interviews via Skype, before travelling to Pakistan, where they applied for visas to travel to the UK.
Speaking after they landed in Scotland, Mr Norgrove, said: “Finally these 19 incredibly talented young women get their future back with the opportunity of a tremendous education and a career.
"The alternative for them in Afghanistan wasn’t good.”
The Linda Norgrove Foundation covered all the costs - thought to be at least £60,000 - of getting the students to the UK. Mr Norgrove said: “It’s been particularly heartening at a time of such division to see the UK and Scottish governments working together to achieve such a positive outcome for these women.
"This is the first time this has been done, there have been so many regulations that have had to be changed for it to happen".
"These women had lost hope, the chance of continuing their education was taken away from them": John and Lorna Norgrove worked with both the Scottish and UK governments to bring the young women to the UK
The Scottish government changed regulations, so that although the women have travelled on international student visas, they are not required to pay the fees that are charged to most students who come to Scotland to study.
"They are so kind, from the moment I got the scholarship": Student Omulbanin Sultani said being a doctor would be the best thing in the world
Ms Gilruth said: “It’s a very technical change to the regulations we have made, this is pretty bespoke to this group of women because we recognised the need.
"We also recognised the danger to their lives, that is why we put in place these changes to bring them here safely.”
Ms Gilruth added the women's inability to learn in Afghanistan under Taliban rule is not an approach Scotland supports.
"We want to help women learn, we want to help them to reach their potential.”
Student Omulbanin Sultani who will be studying at the University of St Andrews, described John and Lorna Norgrove as "second parents".
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