The Taliban have barred Afghan women from enrolling in higher and secondary medical institutions. Hibatullah Akhundzada, the group’s leader, issued the directive, according to sources cited by the Amu TV portal.
The Minister of Public Health announced the ban on Monday during a meeting with medical institution leaders in Kabul. Before this decision, medical schools were the only option left for Afghan women to pursue higher education after the Taliban blocked their access to universities in December 2022.
Neda Mohammad Nadim, the Minister of Higher Education, defended the ban. He argued female students often wore the hijab incorrectly, attended classes with men, lacked male relatives as chaperones, and that some academic programmes conflicted with Islamic principles.
