Taliban Bans Books Authored by Women From Afghan Universities

World 10:34 AM - 2025-09-19

Law graduate Fahr Parsi (not her real name) hides her face to protect herself from Taliban reprisals

The Taliban government has ordered the removal of books written by women from Afghanistan’s university curricula, in a sweeping ban that also outlaws the teaching of human rights and sexual harassment.

According to documents seen by BBC Afghan, some 140 books authored by women – including academic texts such as Safety in the Chemical Laboratory – were among 680 titles flagged as “of concern” for being “anti-Sharia” or contrary to Taliban policies.

Universities have also been instructed to discontinue 18 academic subjects, six of which specifically relate to women, including Gender and Development, The Role of Women in Communication, and Women’s Sociology. A Taliban official said the 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 since the Taliban’s return to power four years ago. Earlier this week, fibre-optic internet was banned in at least ten provinces, with officials citing the prevention of “immorality.”

Education Under Pressure

Women and girls in Afghanistan remain disproportionately affected by Taliban policies. They are barred from education beyond the sixth grade, with midwifery training – one of the few remaining fields open to them – closed in late 2024.

The new measures now extend restrictions into universities. A member of the book review committee confirmed: “All books authored by women are not allowed to be taught.”

Zakia Adeli, former Deputy Minister of Justice and one of the affected authors, said the move was expected:
“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.”

Iranian Titles Also Targeted

The 50-page banned list includes 679 titles, of which 310 are by Iranian authors or publishers. Committee members told the BBC the measure was designed to “prevent the infiltration of Iranian content” into Afghanistan’s academic system.

Relations between Afghanistan and Iran remain strained, with disputes over water rights and Tehran’s expulsion of 1.5 million Afghan refugees since January contributing to tensions.

University professors have expressed alarm at the loss of these resources. One academic noted that books by Iranian authors and translators had provided a crucial bridge between Afghan higher education and global scholarship. Their removal, he warned, creates a “substantial void in education.”

Faced with these restrictions, lecturers at institutions such as Kabul University are preparing their own teaching materials, though many doubt whether these can be developed in line with international academic standards.

The Taliban Ministry of Higher Education has not responded to requests for comment.

Article was originally published by the BBC.



PUKMEDIA