Key Points
- The Taliban government has banned 140 books authored by women, citing conflict with “Sharia and Taliban policies”
- Afghan universities have been ordered to stop teaching 18 subjects, including Gender and Development and Human Rights
- A new academic framework, issued in August, was drafted by Taliban-appointed religious scholars to align education with their interpretation of Islamic law
- Books by Iranian authors were also targeted, with 310 titles banned to prevent “Iranian content” from influencing Afghan curricula
- Academics warn that the bans are creating a major void in higher education and are part of a systematic erasure of women from public life
ISLAMABAD: The Taliban government has banned all books authored by women from being taught in Afghanistan’s university system, BBC reported. Titles such as “Safety in the Chemical Laboratory” are among the 140 works by female authors included in a list of 680 banned books, deemed to be against “Sharia and Taliban policies.”
Human Rights and Women’s Studies Among 18 Banned Subjects
In addition to the removal of books authored by women, universities across Afghanistan have been ordered to stop teaching 18 academic subjects, many of which focus on gender issues and civil rights.
Among the banned subjects are Gender and Development, The Role of Women in Communication, Women’s Sociology, Human Rights, and Sexual Harassment Awareness. A Taliban official told the BBC that these disciplines were considered “in conflict with the principles of Sharia and the system’s policy,” further reinforcing the regime’s efforts to eliminate women’s voices and restrict academic freedom in the country.
New Curriculum Guidelines Issued by Taliban Scholars
The ban is part of a new decree issued in late August, seen by BBC Afghan, and drafted by a panel of Taliban-appointed “religious scholars and experts.” The new academic framework reflects a broader push by the regime to reshape Afghanistan’s educational landscape according to its strict interpretation of Islamic law.
Former Female Official Reacts: “Suppression of Women’s Ideas”
Zakia Adeli, a former deputy minister of justice and author of a banned book, said she was not surprised by the move.
“Considering what the Taliban have done over the past four years, it was not far-fetched to expect them to impose changes on the curriculum,” she said. “When women themselves are not allowed to study, their views, ideas and writings are also suppressed.”
Iranian Authors Also Targeted in Curriculum Crackdown
Alongside women authors, the Taliban’s Ministry of Higher Education has banned 310 books either authored by Iranian writers or published in Iran. A book review committee member told the decision aimed to “prevent the infiltration of Iranian content” into Afghanistan’s academic institutions.
Tensions between Afghanistan and Iran have escalated in recent years over border disputes and the forced return of over 1.5 million Afghan refugees from Iran.
Professors Fear “Substantial Void” in Higher Education
Academic staff are expressing concern about how to move forward. A professor from Kabul University said “Books by Iranian authors and translators serve as the primary link between Afghanistan’s universities and the global academic community. Their removal creates a substantial void in higher education.”
With banned materials gone, many lecturers say they are forced to create their own textbook chapters, carefully crafted to align with Taliban rules, raising serious concerns about whether educational standards can be maintained.
Broader Pattern of Repression
The decree banning books authored by women and restricting certain academic subjects is the latest in a series of sweeping restrictions imposed since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
Over the past four years, the regime has steadily rolled back women’s rights, including banning girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade and shutting down midwifery programs in 2024, one of the last remaining educational pathways for women. Just this week, the Taliban also banned fibre-optic internet in 10 provinces, citing the need to “prevent immorality.”
Critics view these measures as part of a deliberate and systematic effort to erase women from public life and higher education in Afghanistan.
Taliban: “We Respect Women’s Rights According to Our Interpretation”
Despite international condemnation, the Taliban maintain that it respects women’s rights “in accordance with Afghan culture and Islamic law.” The Ministry of Education has not responded to the BBC’s request for comment on the recent bans.
