Taliban’s Ban on Women’s Higher Education in Afghanistan

The Taliban have banned women from Afghan universities.

“You all are informed to implement the mentioned order of suspending education of females until further notice,” said the minister for higher education, Neda Mohammad Nadeem, in a letter issued to all government and private sector universities.

The Taliban’s rule in Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 was marked by strict controls on the rights and freedoms of women and girls. One of the most devastating impacts of this rule was the widespread ban on women’s education, particularly at the higher levels.

Under the Taliban’s interpretation of Islamic law, women were not allowed to attend university or pursue advanced degrees. This effectively shut off an entire generation of women from higher education and professional opportunities, severely limiting their ability to participate fully in Afghan society.

The consequences of these restrictions were severe, particularly for women and girls living in urban areas, where access to education and employment was more limited than in rural areas. Many women and girls were forced to drop out of school, and many were unable to pursue careers or contribute to the economy.

Following the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, the Afghan government and international organizations had made efforts to promote and expand access to education for girls and women in Afghanistan. While progress had been made, there were still many challenges and obstacles to overcome.

The Taliban takeover after the US withdrawal of troops in 2021 has put the country’s women rights in danger again.

Although, they had vowed to respect women’s rights after their return to power, The Taliban gradually started the exclusion of women from public life, A return to the draconian laws of their 1996 to 2001 rule, hindering two decades of progress in women’s rights.