Taliban prohibits numerous female-authored books from Afghan universities
The Taliban administration has taken a series of actions affecting education and university courses in Afghanistan, justifying these measures as a means to prevent the infiltration of Iranian content into the Afghan curriculum.
In a recent development, the Taliban has banned 679 textbooks from being taught in Afghan universities, including 140 written by women and 310 drafted by Iranian authors or publishers. This decision was made following an assessment of the books' 'ideological, cultural, religious, and scientific' content by a panel of religious scholars and experts. The panel found that these books violate the Taliban's interpretation of Sharia laws.
The Taliban administration has also instructed universities to ban 18 university courses that go against religious laws, and 201 'problematic' university courses remain under review.
The ban on women's education was enacted as NATO and US forces withdrew at the end of a two-decade war. Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban government has imposed restrictions on women's lives, notably through so-called morality laws that forbid them from showing their faces outside the home.
In July, Russia became the first country in the world to grant the Taliban government formal recognition. Despite a harsh crackdown on human rights, the Taliban administration has sought to gain international recognition while enforcing its interpretation of Islamic law.
The Taliban administration's decisions regarding education and women's rights have been based on the findings of this panel of religious scholars and experts. The ban on books written by Iranians or published in Iran is part of an effort to 'prevent the infiltration of Iranian content' into the Afghan curriculum, according to a member of the book panel.
Unspecified global rights organizations mourned the anniversary of the education ban, which occurred four years ago when the Taliban seized Afghanistan. The Taliban administration mourned the same anniversary, marking the fourth year since the ban on women's access to secondary education.
The Taliban's actions have drawn international criticism, with many calling for the protection of women's rights and access to education in Afghanistan. The Taliban administration continues to face challenges in gaining widespread international acceptance as it enforces its interpretation of Islamic law.
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