Kabul:The Taliban has escalated its crackdown on education in Afghanistan, targeting women and the intellectual foundations of higher learning. The regime’s latest actions include banning books authored by women and prohibiting the teaching of 18 academic subjects in universities, marking a dangerous step backward for education, equality, and intellectual freedom.

Reports indicate that around 140 books written by women, including works in critical fields like science and communication, have been removed from university curricula. The Taliban claims these books are “anti-Sharia” or inconsistent with their policies. In addition, the Ministry of Higher Education has ordered universities to stop teaching 18 subjects, six of which focus explicitly on women’s issues, including gender studies and the role of women in communication.
This move compounds the already severe restrictions on Afghan women.

Since December 2022, women have been banned from attending universities, and earlier this year, midwifery courses the last remaining professional education for women were abruptly halted. By systematically erasing women’s contributions to academia and denying access to essential subjects, the Taliban is actively undermining the intellectual growth and professional development of half the country’s population.

The international community has expressed alarm. Organizations including the European Union and the World Health Organization have condemned these actions as violations of human rights and academic freedom. Experts warn that restricting women’s education will have far-reaching consequences, including deteriorating healthcare services, reduced economic participation, and the further isolation of Afghan women from public life.

By banning women’s voices from the classroom and silencing progressive subjects, the Taliban is not only attacking women’s rights but is also crippling the very foundation of education in Afghanistan. Such measures threaten to lock the country into decades of ignorance and inequality, reversing years of progress and condemning future generations to a life limited by fear and repression.

This aggressive assault on knowledge and women’s education is a stark reminder that the struggle for basic rights in Afghanistan is far from over.

The world must remain vigilant and hold the Taliban accountable for undermining education and systematically marginalizing half of its population.