The Taliban’s recent decision to ban female students from attending medical institutions is yet another devastating blow to womens’ rights and Afghanistan’s future. This move, similar to their previous draconian rule in the 1990s, has drawn widespread international condemnation and further isolated the Taliban government on the global stage. By denying women the opportunity to contribute to society as medical professionals, the Taliban are not only crippling healthcare in Afghanistan but also undermining their legitimacy and long-term stability.

The Taliban’s ban on female medical education devastates Afghanistan’s healthcare, especially for reproductive health.

The Taliban’s hostility toward womens’ education is not new. During their first regime (1996–2001), girls were barred from attending schools, and women were largely excluded from public life. Their worldview, rooted in an extreme interpretation of Islam, views womens’ empowerment as a threat to their authority. After their overthrow in 2001, Afghan women and girls began to experience progress, with access to education expanding significantly. By 2020, millions of Afghan girls were attending schools, and women were participating in professions ranging from law to medicine.

However, with the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, these hard-won gains have been rapidly undone. In December 2022, they banned women from universities altogether, claiming it was due to non-compliance with their strict dress codes and gender segregation policies. The latest move to bar women specifically from medical institutions is an alarming escalation in their systematic campaign to exclude women from society.

Banning female students from medical institutions is particularly catastrophic for Afghanistan’s fragile healthcare system. In a conservative society like Afghanistan, many women prefer to be treated by female doctors, especially in matters related to reproductive health. With the prohibition on women entering the medical field, the number of qualified female doctors will decline over time, leaving millions of Afghan women without adequate healthcare. This will increase maternal and child mortality rates, which are already among the highest in the world.

International isolation grows as Taliban policies erode legitimacy and prevent foreign aid.

The Taliban’s actions are not only cruel but also self-defeating. By closing the doors of opportunity for half of the population, they are closing the exact progress Afghanistan desperately needs to address its ongoing crises. A weak healthcare system, compounded by a brain drain of professionals fleeing Taliban rule, will push the country further into despair.

The international community has repeatedly condemned the Taliban’s restrictions on women and girls, yet the group remains unmoved. Their actions have isolated Afghanistan from potential donors and international organizations. Aid agencies, including the United Nations, have struggled to operate effectively in a country where women are barred from participating in public life, including working for NGOs.

Countries that once showed a willingness to engage with the Taliban, such as Qatar and Pakistan, are now growing increasingly critical. The Taliban’s refusal to adhere to basic international norms, particularly regarding womens’ rights, has made it nearly impossible for them to gain recognition as a legitimate government.

Despite the uninviting situation, Afghan women continue to resist. Protests led by women demanding the right to education and work have taken place in major cities, often met with brutal crackdowns by the Taliban. Underground schools and informal education networks have sprung up, keeping hope alive for thousands of girls. Afghan men, too, have joined the cause, with some male professors and students boycotting universities in solidarity with their female counterparts.

Afghan women continue resisting through underground education and protests, keeping hope alive.

By banning women from medical education and other forms of schooling, the Taliban are sealing their fate. Their policies are not only morally indefensible but also economically and socially disastrous. Without the participation of women in education and the workforce, Afghanistan’s path to recovery and development remains blocked.

The Taliban may retain power in the short term through repression, but their long-term survival as a governing entity is unsustainable without the support and participation of their people. A nation that silences half its population cannot thrive—this decision may well be the final nail in the coffin for the Taliban’s fragile regime.

If Afghanistan is to have any hope of a brighter future, the Taliban must reverse course and allow women to reclaim their rightful place in society. Until then, the cries of Afghan girls yearning for education will continue to echo as a powerful reminder of the injustice being inflicted on an entire generation.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not represent the views, beliefs, or policies of the Stratheia.