Afghanistan's Taliban-run administration has implemented a sweeping ban on university textbooks written by women, removing hundreds of titles from the country's higher education curriculum. A committee reviewing educational materials confirmed that any book authored by a woman is now prohibited from being taught in universities.
The directive, which affects at least 679 books, is part of a broader decree to eliminate courses and materials considered to be in conflict with the administration's interpretation of Islamic Sharia law. The ban covers all academic fields, including law, political science, and human rights.
Key Takeaways
- The Taliban administration has banned all university books written by female authors in Afghanistan.
- An initial list includes at least 679 blacklisted titles across all academic subjects.
- The ban is part of a decree to remove content deemed to conflict with Islamic Sharia.
- The move follows existing restrictions, including a ban on university and secondary education for women and girls.
- Books by Iranian authors are also being targeted to limit perceived foreign influence.
Details of the Curriculum Overhaul
The decision was formalized in a directive sent to Afghan universities late last month. The document was signed by the Taliban's deputy higher education minister, Ziaur Rahman Aryoubi. According to a member of the textbook review committee who spoke to BBC Afghan, the policy is absolute: "all books authored by women are not allowed to be taught."
In a letter accompanying the 50-page list of banned books, Aryoubi stated that a panel of "religious scholars and experts" had made the decisions. He instructed universities to replace the prohibited materials with course content that "do not conflict with Islam." The final, comprehensive list of all banned books is expected to be issued to universities at a later date.
By the Numbers
The initial blacklist targets at least 679 titles. In addition to the ban on female-authored books, approximately 300 books written by Iranian authors or released by Iranian publishers are also being removed from the curriculum.
Widespread Impact on Academic Disciplines
The ban is not limited to specific subjects but extends across the entire academic spectrum. This comprehensive removal of texts will significantly alter the educational landscape for the remaining university students, who are exclusively male.
Fields of study that will be heavily impacted include:
- Constitutional Law
- Human Rights
- Women's Studies
- Gender and Development
- Western Political Thought
- Islamic Political Movements
Sources in Kabul have expressed concern that this measure will cripple the country's higher education system. Universities now face the challenge of sourcing and acquiring a large volume of replacement textbooks, placing a significant strain on already limited resources.
Historical Precedent for Female Scholarship
The ban contrasts with the long history of female scholars and writers within Islam. Notably, the world's oldest continuously operating university, the University of al-Qarawiyyin in Morocco, was founded by a woman, Fatima al-Fihri, in the 9th century. No other Muslim-majority country currently prohibits girls from receiving an education.
A Continuing Pattern of Restrictions
This latest decree is part of a series of severe restrictions on education and women's rights imposed since the Taliban returned to power. The administration has already barred girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade and banned women from attending both private and public universities.
The crackdown on education has also involved firing hundreds of professors for allegedly opposing the group's ideology and increasing the amount of mandatory religious coursework in all faculties. Previously, universities were ordered to cease teaching 18 subjects, six of which were specifically focused on women. An additional 201 courses were placed under review.
The nationwide ban on women in universities has drawn widespread condemnation from Muslim-majority countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkiye, who have called on the Taliban to reverse the decision.
Voices of Dissent and Analysis
Zakia Adeli, who served as the deputy minister of justice before August 2021, is one of the authors whose work has been banned. Her book, Political Terminology and International Relations, is on the blacklist. She told BBC Afghan that the decision was not surprising.
"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. Given the Taliban’s misogynistic mindset and policies, it is only natural that when women themselves are not allowed to study, their views, ideas and writings are also suppressed."
In addition to removing works by women, the curriculum review is also targeting materials from Iran. A source on the review committee confirmed to the BBC that this was a deliberate effort to "prevent the infiltration of Iranian content" into Afghanistan's education system. This move reflects ongoing diplomatic tensions between the two neighboring countries over issues such as water rights and Iran's recent expulsion of over 1.5 million Afghan refugees.