Senior employees from several institutions offering nursing and midwifery courses in Afghanistan stated on Tuesday that women would be prohibited from attending classes following an order from the Taliban’s supreme leader.
Health officials informed the directors of educational institutes in Kabul on Monday about the new ruling, according to a source from the Ministry of Public Health, who spoke to AFP on the condition of anonymity.
“Though no official letter was issued, the directors were told in a meeting that women and girls would no longer be allowed to study at these institutions,” the source explained. “They were given no details or justifications, only instructions to implement the supreme leader’s order.”
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A director who attended the meeting, speaking anonymously out of fear of retaliation, confirmed that dozens of institute heads were present.
A senior employee from another center mentioned that their supervisor had attended a separate meeting with health officials on Tuesday to clarify the confusion surrounding the ruling. This employee added that institutes had been given 10 days to conduct final exams.
Some institute managers sought clarification from the ministry, while others continued with normal operations in the absence of an official written directive.
Following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, they imposed a ban on girls’ education beyond secondary school, a move criticized as “gender apartheid” by the United Nations.
In response, many women turned to health institutes, one of the few remaining options for higher education. Today, women make up the majority of students in these institutions.
Afghanistan has around 10 public and over 150 private health institutes offering two-year diplomas in 18 fields, including midwifery, anesthesia, pharmacy, and dentistry.
These programs collectively serve approximately 35,000 female students, according to sources within the Ministry of Health.
“What are we supposed to do with just 10 percent of our students?” one institute manager lamented.
Aysha (a pseudonym), a midwifery instructor at a private institute in Kabul, said she was told not to report to work until further notice, with little explanation. “This is a huge shock for us. We are deeply shaken,” the 28-year-old said. “This was the only opportunity for girls and women who had been banned from universities.”
The UK’s chargé d’affaires expressed deep concern over the reports. “This is another attack on women’s right to education and will further hinder healthcare access for Afghan women and children,” they wrote on social media.
The Ministry of Health source warned that the ban would exacerbate the country’s already struggling health sector. “We are already facing a shortage of professional medical and para-medical staff, and this will only worsen the situation.”
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