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Summary
The Taliban has banned 140 books authored by women from Afghan universities. The titles include works on human rights and women’s studies, further restricting women’s access to education and public life.
In the Taliban’s latest move to erase women, the male tyranny group has banned 140 books authored by women from Afghan universities, including works on human rights, sexual harassment, and women’s studies, further restricting women’s access to education and public life.
According to reports, the ban was introduced as part of new education guidelines issued by the Taliban Ministry of Higher Education. A total of 679 titles were blacklisted, of which 310 were drafted by Iranian authors or publishers.
In a letter to Afghan universities, the deputy academic director of the ministry, Ziaur Rahman Aryoubi, said a panel of “religious scholars and experts” found the books in violation of the Taliban’s interpretation of Sharia law. The committee said all works were reviewed for their “ideological, cultural, religious and scientific” content.
A member of the review committee also said that “all books authored by women are not allowed to be taught.”
The Taliban also ordered universities to stop teaching 18 academic courses deemed “in conflict with Sharia and the system’s policy.” Another 201 courses remain under review.
Among the prohibited subjects are Gender and Development, Women’s Sociology, Human Rights, Sexual Harassment and The Role of Women in Communication. These fields had previously offered some of the few academic spaces to discuss women’s lives.
The latest restrictions are part of the Taliban’s broader crackdown on women’s rights since returning to power in August 2021. Girls above sixth grade remain barred from school, midwifery programs were shut down, and laws have curtailed women’s movement and visibility in public life.
On September 17, 2025, the Taliban administration imposed an internet ban across several northern provinces of Afghanistan. The move sparked alarm among Afghan women who rely on the internet for education, healthcare training, and livelihoods. Many women operate online schools and businesses, and they are now threatened by the blackout.
