Taliban gov’t orders ban on university education for women in Afghanistan

The Taliban government banned access to university education for all women in Afghanistan. This act has been classified as a brutal repression of the rights and freedoms of Afghan women.

According to the BBC, the order came into force immediately and will remain in force until further notice. The news was confirmed through a statement issued by the Ministry of Education.

Since last year, when the Taliban government resumed power, Afghan women have been deprived of their rights. In October 2021, extensive restrictions were imposed on the subjects that could be taken in majors such as science, veterinary medicine, engineering, economics and agriculture.

In addition, classrooms with separate entrances by gender were implemented and women were prohibited from taking classes with female teachers or older men.

Initially, it was said that this measure would be temporary, since it would begin with the creation of educational centers that guarantee a strict separation of the sexes. However, Afghan citizens pointed out that this was a pretext, since the institutes in Afghanistan were already separated by gender.

The ban on access to education occurs less than three months before thousands of women will take the university entrance exams throughout the country. At the moment it is unknown what will happen with said accesses, as well as the time that this measure will last. Meanwhile, the United Nations (UN) has expressed its deep concern, since “education is a fundamental human right. A closed door to women’s education is a closed door to the future of Afghanistan.”