The Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have intensified their clampdown on education by ordering the removal of books authored by women from university curricula, while also prohibiting the teaching of subjects linked to human rights and sexual harassment.
Out of 680 publications flagged as problematic, 140 were written by women, including works such as Safety in the Chemical Laboratory.
Officials deemed the books contrary to “anti-Sharia and Taliban policies.” In addition, universities were instructed to stop offering 18 courses, which the government argued were “in conflict with the principles of Sharia and the system’s policy.”
This measure is part of a broader wave of restrictions introduced since the Taliban retook power four years ago.
Just days ago, fibre-optic internet services were cut off in at least 10 provinces following an order from the Taliban’s supreme leader, who claimed the step was necessary to curb immorality.
Women have borne the brunt of these rules. They remain banned from education beyond the sixth grade, and in late 2024, midwifery courses, one of the few options still available to them, were quietly closed.
The new directive also targets university disciplines focused on women, with six of the banned subjects directly addressing female issues, such as Gender and Development, The Role of Women in Communication, and Women’s Sociology.
Despite the sweeping bans, Taliban officials maintain that they are committed to protecting women’s rights “in accordance with their interpretation of Afghan culture and Islamic law.”
‘A void in education’
A member of the review committee overseeing the decision confirmed the policy, telling BBC Afghan that “all books authored by women are not allowed to be taught.”
Among those affected is Zakia Adeli, a former deputy minister of justice whose publications have now been outlawed. She described the ban as predictable, “Considering what the Taliban have done over the past four years, it was not far-fetched to expect them to impose changes on the curriculum,” she said.
“Given the Taliban’s misogynistic mindset and policies, it is only natural that when women themselves are not allowed to study, their views, ideas and writings are also suppressed.”
The guidelines, circulated to universities in late August, were endorsed by Ziaur Rahman Aryubi, deputy academic director of the Ministry of Higher Education, who stated in a letter that the decisions were reached by “religious scholars and experts.”
The crackdown also extends beyond gender. Iranian authors and publishers were heavily targeted, with 310 titles on the blacklist linked to Iran.
A committee member told the BBC the move was meant to “prevent the infiltration of Iranian content” into Afghan education.
Tensions between Afghanistan and Iran have flared in recent years, particularly over water disputes, while Tehran has expelled more than 1.5 million Afghan refugees since January amid growing anti-Afghan sentiment.
The removal of Iranian texts has left academics anxious. One professor warned that the policy would severely hinder scholarship, “Books by Iranian authors and translators serve as the primary link between Afghanistan’s universities and the global academic community. Their removal creates a substantial void in higher education,” he said.
A lecturer at Kabul University added that faculty are now left to draft their own material under the Taliban’s rules, though he questioned its quality, “The crucial question is whether these chapters can be prepared according to global standards or not.”
