UN warns of healthcare crisis over Afghan ban on women’s medical education

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that Afghanistan’s ban on women’s medical education could lead to a long-term healthcare crisis. In a report released on February 18, OCHA highlighted that Afghanistan’s maternal mortality rate is three times higher than the global average.

On December 2, 2024, the Taliban-led Ministry of Higher Education ordered the closure of medical institutes for women, affecting fields such as midwifery, nursing, and pharmacy.

Authorities have since barred female students from attending these institutions, raising concerns about a shortage of female healthcare professionals, particularly in rural areas where cultural norms limit women’s access to male doctors.