Men stand up - Afghanistan

[ArabellaScott]

Afghanistan - male students stand and walk out of exams in solidarity with women and girls.

So good to see.

twitter.com/NasimiShabnam/status/1606609019170332673

(Footage from 24th December, but I've only just seen it.)

Fair play to those lads. Especially given the possibly brutal response of the Taliban.

This is wonderful. Deeds not words. I'm sure this means a lot to the women.

Yes. It's odd, but watching all the footage from Afghanistan, I'd completely forgotten or not grasped that there will be men there who are also not happy with the situation.

Many have stood up in Iraq in solidarity with women.

This made me feel emotional.

This is also good:

'FutureLearn will offer the women in Afghanistan free access to its premium digital learning platform for the duration of the Taliban’s ban on their participation in higher education. Girls and women with internet access will be able to study short courses and expert tracks from the best of British higher education at no cost to themselves'

www.futurelearn.com/info/press-releases/afghanistan-free-education

That's a great idea but won't the Taliban just prohibit women from using the resources, or even the internet? The aim is not just to stop women from leaving their homes, I imagine, but to prevent them associating with other women or outsiders and having access to any ideas or education at all. How can future learn ensure their access to the courses?

Yes, I know, it's got huge holes in it. Not least lessons will be in English! And of course many women will not be able to access the net. But it's something.

Yes. It's meant as a show of solidarity, I suppose.

If nothing else, I hope it shows the women of Afghanistan that the world hasn't forgotten them.