KABUL, Afghanistan — The UK’s chargé d’affaires to Afghanistan, Robert C. Dickson, on Tuesday expressed deep concern over reports that the Taliban have banned women from pursuing medical education, describing the move as a severe blow to women’s rights and healthcare access in the country.
“I am deeply concerned about new reports that the Taliban will deny medical education to women in Afghanistan,” Dickson said in a statement. “This is another affront to women’s right to education and will further restrict access to healthcare for Afghan women and children.”
The Taliban’s new decision bars women from attending medical and semi-professional institutes, effectively eliminating one of the few remaining avenues for Afghan women to pursue higher education.
A blow to healthcare access
The move has drawn widespread criticism from human rights advocates, who warn it will exacerbate Afghanistan’s healthcare crisis. The country already faces acute shortages of female medical professionals, crucial for providing care in a society where cultural norms often restrict women from being treated by male doctors.
Since their return to power in August 2021, the Taliban have systematically curtailed women’s access to education, barring girls from secondary schools and universities. The new ban on medical education leaves Afghan women with no pathways for higher education.
Dickson’s statement adds to mounting international condemnation of the Taliban’s restrictive policies on women. Human rights organizations and foreign governments have repeatedly called on the Taliban to reverse their bans on women’s education and employment, warning of severe social and economic consequences.
The ban comes amid a deepening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, with millions of people facing limited access to healthcare, food, and other essential services.
