The Taliban has banned Afghan women from studying nursing and midwifery, a move that has been widely criticized by human rights organizations. This decision is a huge strike to women’s rights and freedom in Afghanistan. The Taliban’s supreme leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, ordered the ban, which was communicated to private medical training institutes. Nursing students and medical trainers have confirmed that their courses have been suspended.
A 22-year-old nursing student, Sahar, was destroyed by the news. She had been preparing for a test when she received a message from her teacher about the termination of the institute. Sahar said she couldn’t stop crying, as this was her last hope. Female students in Herat province protested the termination of health science institutes, chanting “We will not give up our rights” and “Education is our right.”
The ban has sparked extensive criticism, with international agencies and human rights organizations joining Afghan women in criticizing the move. Samira Hamidi, an Afghan activist and campaigner for Amnesty International, called it “an outrageous act of ignorance” that will have a destroying long-term impact on the lives of millions of Afghans, especially women and girls.
The Taliban’s decision will increase the already severe shortage of healthcare workers in Afghanistan. The country needs at least 18,000 more trained midwives to ensure basic maternal care to Afghan women. The ban on women studying basic nursing skills “makes absolutely no sense,” says Ashley Jackson of the Center on Armed Groups.
The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, has announced that “very considerable progress” has been made in investigating allegations of gender persecution in Afghanistan. Afghan women are hoping that soon, there will be accountability for the Taliban’s denial of their human rights.
