BREAKING: Taliban Enforces Prohibition on Women's Nursing Education

Afghanistan’s last vestige of educational opportunity for women has been extinguished as the Taliban halts midwifery and nursing programs, dealing another severe blow to women's rights in the country. Aspiring midwives and nurses disclosed to the BBC that they were ordered to vacate classrooms indefinitely, effectively dismantling what little access they had to formal learning.

Reports from five educational institutions across Afghanistan corroborated these directives, confirming that the Taliban has suspended operations until further notice. Videos circulating online reveal heart-wrenching scenes of students in tears, mourning the abrupt end to their aspirations.

Though the Taliban’s health ministry has yet to issue an official proclamation, this development aligns seamlessly with the group’s broader crackdown on female education. Since August 2021, teenage girls have been systematically barred from secondary and higher education under the pretense of awaiting "Islamic" curricular reforms—a promise that remains unfulfilled.

Midwifery and nursing were among the few professions still accessible to Afghan women under Taliban-imposed constraints, serving as critical roles since male healthcare providers are prohibited from treating women in the absence of a male guardian. These programs offered a rare beacon of hope, allowing women to contribute meaningfully within the confines of their restricted existence.

Just months ago, the BBC reported on a Taliban-regulated midwifery training center where young women, despite facing overwhelming challenges, embraced their opportunity to learn lifesaving skills. Trainees expressed immense pride in their work, with one woman, Safia, sharing her determination: “I’ve left my children at home to serve my country.” Yet, even then, apprehension loomed about the sustainability of such programs.

Now, uncertainty hangs over the future of approximately 17,000 women enrolled in these courses. Two anonymous sources within the Ministry of Health unofficially confirmed the ban, yet no official communication has been forthcoming. Trainees captured on video are seen sobbing, while others quietly protest, singing softly as they leave their classrooms.

One student recounted the chaotic evacuation: “We weren’t even allowed to finish our semester or take exams. They only gave us moments to gather our belongings and leave.” Another detailed the fear that gripped them: “We couldn’t linger in the courtyard because of the risk the Taliban might arrive, and something could happen.”

The broader implications of this ban are grim. Afghanistan already grapples with one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates, with 620 women dying per 100,000 live births, according to the World Health Organization. The United Nations previously estimated that Afghanistan needs an additional 18,000 midwives to meet its healthcare demands—a need that now appears even more unattainable.

This sweeping prohibition not only erases women’s last educational foothold but also imperils the future of maternal healthcare in a nation already teetering on the brink. As hope dims, Afghan women once again find themselves silenced, their voices echoing as they are ushered into deeper isolation.