The Taliban have banned all books written by women from being taught in Afghanistan's universities. Around 140 books from a female author are among the 679 books outlawed because of anti-sharia (Islamic law) and anti-Taliban content. According to an informed source in Kabul, many of these texts are foundational and cannot be replaced unless the Taliban write them themselves.
Moreover, 18 university courses such as Gender and Development and Human Rights and Democracy have been banned due to being in “conflict with Islamic sharia.” Taliban’s higher education minister Ziaur Rahman Aryoubi issued the guidelines on August 28, going into effect starting from the current fall semester.
This is the latest crackdown on women’s rights and freedom of expression since the Taliban regained power in 2021. Afghanistan is one of the world’s harshest countries for women; indeed, women cannot access education beyond US 5th-grade level, are unable to join the workforce, and cannot access services such as health care without being accompanied by a male.
Located at the crossroads of the Near East, Central Asia, and South Asia, Afghanistan has endured decades of conflict. After the Soviet withdrawal in the late 1980s, the Taliban seized power in 1996, turning the country into a haven for extremist groups, including al-Qaeda. This led to the US invasion following the September 11 attacks and a military mission that lasted 20 years.
But what did this mission entail, and how do things look now? Read through this gallery to find out.