KABUL, Afghanistan — On the occasion of the International Day of the Midwife, the European Union praised the resilience and dedication of Afghan midwives, calling for greater support and access to medical education for women in Afghanistan.
In a message posted Monday, the EU mission in Afghanistan emphasized that empowering midwives is critical not only to saving lives and reducing maternal and infant mortality, but also to building a stronger, more resilient health system in Afghanistan — a country where women’s access to education and health care has been dramatically curtailed under Taliban rule.
“Empowering [Afghan midwives] saves lives, reduces maternal/infant mortality and strengthens health systems in Afghanistan,” the EU said, adding that medical education for women is essential for sustaining a functional national health workforce.
The statement comes amid growing international concern over the Taliban’s continued restrictions on women’s rights, including bans on female education in medicine and midwifery — bans that global health agencies warn are pushing Afghanistan’s fragile health system to the brink of collapse.
The EU’s message aligns with broader calls from the United Nations and humanitarian groups to ensure that Afghan women are not excluded from professional health training, especially in rural areas where female health workers are often the only providers accessible to women and girls.
