Taliban ban on medical education for women sparks global condemnation

Amnesty International has called on the Taliban to end what it describes as “gender-based harassment and persecution” following the recent ban on women’s medical education. The decision, which took effect on December 4, has closed the last avenue for Afghan women to pursue formal education, drawing widespread international criticism.

In a statement, Amnesty International highlighted that the ban blocks women from studying medical and health sciences, a final opportunity for education previously available to Afghan women. The U.S. Embassy for Afghanistan, operating from abroad, also expressed concerns, calling the Taliban’s actions a violation of basic human rights.

“The deprivation of education, healthcare, and freedom for women is an affront to their dignity and humanity,” the embassy said.

Women’s rights groups warned that excluding women from the healthcare workforce exacerbates Afghanistan’s medical staff shortages, particularly in rural areas where cultural norms prevent women from being treated by male doctors, describing Afghanistan as “a graveyard of girls’ dreams,” emphasizing the long-term impact on the country’s healthcare system.

For Afghan women, the ban represents a devastating loss. Former medical students have expressed despair, noting that medical education was their last hope after schools and universities were previously closed to female students.

The Taliban’s restrictions have compounded challenges for Afghanistan’s healthcare sector, which already faces critical shortages of female medical workers. A European Union report noted that maternal and child mortality rates in Afghanistan are among the highest globally, with one mother dying every two hours from preventable pregnancy-related complications.

Since regaining power in 2021, the Taliban have systematically restricted women’s rights, barring girls from attending school beyond sixth grade and closing universities to female students in late 2022. The new decree eliminates all educational opportunities for women, further isolating them from public life.

International organizations and governments have condemned the Taliban’s policies, warning of their detrimental impact on Afghanistan’s future. Despite global appeals, Afghan women face an increasingly bleak reality of exclusion and limited access to essential services.