Books written by women, forbidden in Afghan universities. Taliban outscend out of law and teaching 18 disciplines
A student reads a book at the Library of the Confucius Institute of Kabul University in Kabul, Afghanistan, April 17, 2025. Credit Line: Saifurahman Safi / Xinhua News / Profimedia
The Taliban government has eliminated from the university teaching system in Afghanistan the books written by women, as part of a new prohibition. Outside the law, the delivery of 18 disciplines was also removed, including human rights, according to the BBC
About 140 books written by women were among the 680 volumes considered “problematic” due to “the content of anti-sugar and policies against the Taliban”. Also, universities are transmitted that they are no longer allowed to teach 18 disciplines because “they are in conflict with the principles of Sharia and the politics of the system,” explained a Taliban official.
In addition to the books written by women, the ban seems to have targeted the books of Iranian authors or publishers. A member of the Review Committee has told the BBC that the measure designed to “prevent Iranian content infiltration” in the Afghan program.
The decree is the latest of a series of restrictions imposed by the Talibans since their return to power four years ago.
Even this week, the fiber optic internet was banned in at least 10 provinces, at the order of the Supreme leader of the Taliban, to a extent that officials said it aims to prevent immorality.
Although the rules had an impact on many aspects of life, women and girls were particularly affected: they are forbidden to access education after the sixth grade, and one of their last ways of additional training was cut at the end of 2024, when the midwives were closed discreetly.
Now, even university disciplines about women have been targeted: six of the forbidden 18 refers to women, including gender and development, the role of women in communication and sociology of women.
The Taliban government has stated that it respects women's rights in accordance with their own interpretation of Afghan culture and Islamic Law.
“It was expected”
A member of the Book Review Committee confirmed the prohibition imposed on the books written by women, saying for BBC Afghan that “all the books written by women are prohibited.”
Zakia Adeli, former deputy minister of justice before the Taliban's return to power and one of the authors whose books were included in the forbidden list, was not surprised.
“Given what the Taliban did in the last four years, it was not exaggerated to expect changes in the school syllabus,” she said.
“Given the mentality and misogynistic policies of the Taliban, it is natural that, when women are not allowed to study, their opinions, ideas and writings will also be suppressed,” Zakia added.
The new guidelines, consulted by BBC Afghan, were issued at the end of August.
