Taliban removes women-authored books from universities, bans gender and sexual harassment courses

The Taliban government in Afghanistan has removed books authored by women from university syllabi, alongside banning courses on human rights and sexual harassment, as per a report by BBC.

Reports indicate that 140 books written by women were among 680 flagged as “of concern” for containing content deemed contrary to Sharia or the Taliban’s policies.

Eighteen subjects discontinued

Universities have been instructed to discontinue 18 subjects entirely. A Taliban official stated that these courses were “in conflict with the principles of Sharia and the system’s policy.”

This move is part of a broader series of restrictions imposed by the Taliban since returning to power four years ago. Women and girls have been particularly affected, already barred from schooling beyond the sixth grade. In late 2024, midwifery courses were quietly closed, further limiting higher education opportunities for women.

Courses focusing on women targeted

Among the 18 banned subjects, six specifically address women, including Gender and Development, The Role of Women in Communication, and Women's Sociology.

A member of the committee reviewing the books confirmed the ban, telling BBC Afghan, “All books authored by women are not allowed to be taught.”

Zakia Adeli, former deputy minister of justice prior to the Taliban’s return and an affected author, said, “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.”

As Afghan universities reopen, the path for women in higher education continues to shrink. The Taliban government maintains that it respects women’s rights according to their interpretation of Afghan culture and Islamic law, but access to meaningful academic participation remains heavily restricted, added BBC.