The Taliban government has removed books written by women from the university teaching system in Afghanistan as part of a new ban which has also outlawed the teaching of human rights and sexual harassment.
Some 140 books by women - including titles like Safety in the Chemical Laboratory - were among 680 books found to be of concern due to anti-Sharia and Taliban policies.
The universities were further told they were no longer allowed to teach 18 subjects, with a Taliban official saying they were in conflict with the principles of Sharia and the system's policy. The decree is the latest in a series of restrictions which the Taliban have brought in since returning to power four years ago.
Just this week, fibre-optic internet was banned in at least 10 provinces on the orders of the Taliban's supreme leader in a move officials said was to prevent immorality.
While the rules have had an impact on many aspects of life, women and girls have been particularly hard-hit: they are barred from accessing education over the sixth grade. Now even university subjects about women have been targeted: six of the 18 banned are specifically about women, including Gender and Development, The Role of Women in Communication, and Women's Sociology.
A member of the committee reviewing the books confirmed the ban on books written by women, stating that all books authored by women are not allowed to be taught. Zakia Adeli, a former deputy minister of justice, noted the expected nature of this action given the Taliban's historical context.
The Taliban has claimed respect for women's rights in accordance with their cultural and religious interpretation, yet actions such as a ban on education for women above sixth grade reflect a contradictory stance.
The ban has stirred fears among the academic community, highlighting a considerable void in educational structure, with a professor commenting on the challenges posed by the removal of foundational texts integral to connecting Afghan universities with global academia.
The Taliban's Ministry of Higher Education has yet to publicly respond to these latest developments amidst ongoing concerns over educational quality and women's rights in the country.
