The Taliban government has removed books written by women from the university teaching system in Afghanistan as part of a new ban which has also outlawed the teaching of human rights and sexual harassment.
Some 140 books by women - including titles like 'Safety in the Chemical Laboratory' - were among 680 books found to be of 'concern' due to 'anti-Sharia and Taliban policies'.
The universities were further told they were no longer allowed to teach 18 subjects, with a Taliban official stating these subjects were 'in conflict with the principles of Sharia and the system's policy'.
The decree is the latest in a series of restrictions introduced by the Taliban since they regained power four years ago.
Just this week, fiber-optic internet was banned in at least 10 provinces based on orders from the Taliban's supreme leader, reportedly to prevent immorality.
While these restrictions affect many aspects of life, women and girls are particularly impacted: they have been barred from pursuing education beyond the sixth grade, and their access to midwifery courses was cut off quietly in late 2024.
Now, even university subjects concerning women have been targeted; six out of the 18 courses banned are specifically focused on women's studies, including Gender and Development and Women's Sociology.
The Taliban government claims it respects women's rights in accordance with its interpretation of Afghan culture and Islamic law.
A member of the committee reviewing the banned books confirmed the exclusion of all books authored by women. Former deputy justice minister Zakia Adeli expressed that this move was anticipated given the Taliban's historical actions over the past four years.
The new guidelines issued in late August indicate the Taliban's policies have resulted in the systematic suppression of women's views and writings.
Furthermore, the ban disproportionately affects relationships with Iranian authors and publishers, as many titles in the banned list are either from Iranian writers or published in Iran. This follows a growing trend of discontent between Afghanistan and Iran over various geopolitical issues.
Concern is rising among educators; a university professor conveyed fears that the removal of books authored by both women and Iranian scholars would create a substantial void in higher education, hindering the academic link between Afghanistan and global educational standards.
As the Taliban continues to implement restrictive measures on education, the future of academic freedom and women's contributions in Afghanistan hangs in the balance.
