Afghanistan: Taliban Bans Women From Medical Training

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Facts

  • The Taliban administration in Afghanistan has banned women from pursuing nursing and midwifery courses, effectively closing the last avenue for women's higher education in the country.[1][2]
  • Afghanistan has approximately 35K female students in 10 public and 150 private health institutes, which offer two-year diplomas in 18 medical subjects, ranging from midwifery to dentistry.[1]
  • The directive, which gave institutions 10 days to conduct final examinations, was communicated verbally during a meeting with health institute directors in Kabul.[1][3]
  • Afghanistan faces a critical shortage of healthcare workers. The UN reports that the country needs an additional 18K midwives to meet basic healthcare needs.[4][2]
  • According to the World Health Organization, the country currently has one of the highest maternal mortality rates globally, with 620 women dying per 100K live births.[4][5]
  • This ban follows previous Taliban restrictions prohibiting women from university education, secondary schooling beyond sixth grade, and most employment sectors since 2021.[6]

Sources: [1]Firstpost, [2]Khaama Press, [3]France 24, [4]BBC News, [5]www.ndtv.com and [6]Voice of America.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by Human Rights Watch and Independent. The Afghan healthcare system faces imminent collapse as this ban will create a severe shortage of female medical professionals — leaving women without access to essential healthcare services since male doctors are prohibited from treating female patients without male guardians present. This decree is part of a vicious agenda to violate the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan systematically.
  • Narrative B, as provided by BBC News. These policies reflect the Taliban administration's interpretation of Islamic law. They aim to protect women's dignity and ensure that proper Islamic education standards are met before women are permitted to resume their studies. The West should refrain from interfering with the country's efforts to address the issue of female education and empowerment as guided by its legitimate government within the framework of Sharia.

Predictions