Ban on women’s education in Medical Institutes in Afghanistan

Students enrolled in medical programs at various health institutes in Afghanistan report that they were not allowed to attend classes on Tuesday, December 3rd.

Female students studying midwifery and nursing confirmed to Khaama Press that they were informed to stay home until further notice.

One student from a medical institute in western Kabul told Khaama Press that they were prohibited from entering their classrooms, and the staff vaguely informed them that “classes are temporarily suspended.” When students protested, the authorities at the institute explained that the Taliban had issued an order to close the institutes until further notice.

This directive from the Taliban regime, which is believed to have been communicated verbally, has sparked widespread reactions. Khaama Press attempted to contact the spokesperson and officials from the Ministry of Public Health of the Taliban for comment, but they declined to provide any responses by the time this report was compiled.

Robert Dickson, the Charge d’Affaires of the UK Embassy for Afghanistan, condemned the ban on girls’ education in medical fields. He posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that this move by the Taliban is another violation of women’s rights to education and further limits access to healthcare for Afghan women and children.

This decision comes at a time when Afghanistan urgently requires over 18,000 midwives, highlighting the serious implications for the country’s healthcare system, particularly for women’s health.

The suspension of education for women in medical programs is part of an ongoing series of restrictions placed on women’s rights in Afghanistan under the current Taliban regime.

The move is likely to exacerbate the already dire healthcare situation, particularly for women and children, who have limited access to medical care. This decision has drawn international condemnation and calls for the restoration of basic rights for women in Afghanistan.

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