The kidnapping of more than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls by Boko Haram, an extremist Islamic sect, has rightly aroused international condemnation. Boko Haram, like the Taliban in Afghanistan, believes that educating women is contrary to Islamic precepts. This is not the view of moderate Muslims everywhere.
Nor is it the view of Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani girl who was shot and seriously injured by Taliban terrorists because she was keen to be educated. She has overcome her injuries and is doing her best to promote the rights of girls to an equal education with boys.
This horrific incident in northern Nigeria is not an isolated example of the dire consequences of religious extremism. There are other cases of behavior allegedly based on religious teachings that are contrary to accepted civilized norms. These raise important questions over the extent to which religious beliefs can be allowed to override internationally accepted norms and human rights.