US EditionTaliban ban books written by women from Afghan universities
Afghan universities must remove 679 titles including 140 books by women and ban 18 subjects for conflicting with Taliban's interpretation of Islamic law, officials said.
- The Taliban government banned 679 university books, including 140 authored by women, claiming they violate Islamic law.
- Eighteen academic courses, including Gender and Development and Women’s Sociology, have been prohibited in Afghanistan.
- The Ministry of Higher Education stated that the aim is to prevent 'the infiltration of Iranian content' and uphold their version of Islamic education.
- International human rights organizations condemned the decision, stating that it undermines intellectual development and restricts scholarly exchange in Afghanistan.
49 Articles
49 Articles
The Afghan government decides to remove books written by women from university programs because of "anti-charia and Taliban policies".
The new grip of the regime does not spare universities: the texts signed by authors disappear and courses on rights and society are forbidden, in an unprecedented project of cultural silence
The Taliban bans women’s educational books at Afghan universities
In late August 2025, the Taliban government in Afghanistan banned about 680 university books, including around 140 titles authored by women. The Ministry of Higher Education labelled the works “anti-Sharia (referring to not guiding religious and social conduct) and Taliban policies.” Universities must stop using them immediately. This order forms part of a broader crackdown on academic freedom in Afghan higher education. SUBJECTS REMOVED FROM …
der Standard AT
der Standard DEIn addition, universities were banned from teaching 18 subjects, as reported by the BBC. However, after several months of detention, a British couple was released by the Taliban.
The Taliban government in Afghanistan has decided to withdraw books written by women from university programmes, which are considered to be contrary to sharia law. The strict ban adopted at the end of August was confirmed on Friday, 19 September, at the BBC in Afghan by Taliban and academic sources.
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