Taliban bans women from training as midwives
IndependentDec 01
Afghanistan: Taliban Bans Women From Medical Training
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Above: A woman looking for alms sits beside a child along a street on the outskirts of Fayzabad district in Badakhshan province, Afghanistan, on Nov. 12, 2024. Image copyright: Omer Abrar/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
The Taliban administration in Afghanistan has banned women from pursuing nursing and midwifery courses, effectively closing the last avenue for women's higher education in the country.
Afghanistan has approximately 35K female students in 10 public and 150 private health institutes, which offer two-year diplomas in 18 medical subjects, ranging from midwifery to dentistry.
The Spin
Narrative A
The Afghan healthcare system faces imminent collapse as this ban will create a severe shortage of female medical professionals — leaving women without access to essential healthcare services since male doctors are prohibited from treating female patients without male guardians present. This decree is part of a vicious agenda to violate the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan systematically.
Narrative B
These policies reflect the Taliban administration's interpretation of Islamic law. They aim to protect women's dignity and ensure that proper Islamic education standards are met before women are permitted to resume their studies. The West should refrain from interfering with the country's efforts to address the issue of female education and empowerment as guided by its legitimate government within the framework of Sharia.
