Taliban Bans over 600 Books Authored by Women in Afghanistan

The Taliban has barred more than 600 books, many written by women, from Afghan universities as part of its tightening restrictions on education and academic freedom.

A 50-page list of banned titles was circulated in Kabul, according to a directive sent in late August by the Taliban’s Deputy Minister of Higher Education to universities. Independent Persian first reported the announcement, noting that the books were deemed incompatible with the group’s interpretation of Islamic law.

The ban specifically targets works authored by women and removes gender studies courses from the male-only university curriculum, representing the latest step in the Taliban’s systematic campaign against women’s rights since it retook power four years ago.

A member of the review committee later confirmed to BBC Afghan, as cited by the New York Times, that no books authored by women would be allowed for teaching.

Rahila Sidiqi, director of the UK-based Rahela Trust, which supports education for Afghan women and girls, condemned the move as a criminal act. She warned that the decision would harm not only women but also men and society at large, since these books had long been integral to university programs.

In addition to banning books, the Taliban has ordered universities to scrap 18 courses covering subjects ranging from human rights and democracy to women’s studies. More than 200 other courses are currently under review.

Lauren Oates, executive director of the Canadian organization Right to Learn Afghanistan, explained that a special committee within the Ministry of Higher Education had been formed to lead this effort. She warned that the move sends a false message that women do not write books or that their ideas are unworthy of consultation. Oates also noted that the list of prohibited materials reveals a clear disdain for political science and international relations, with many decisions seemingly based on the personal biases of committee members.

A 2022 report by Afghanistan’s Higher Education Commission had already flagged what it called deficiencies in curricula, including the promotion of foreign cultural norms, moral shortcomings, and the endorsement of what it described as un-Islamic practices such as music, television, and democracy.

Since banning girls and women from secondary and higher education, the Taliban’s latest wave of censorship primarily impacts male students’ curricula. Sidiqi argued that the removal of women’s works reflects a broader effort to restrict women’s contributions in all aspects of life, calling it an attempt to erase their history.

The move forms part of a broader restructuring of higher education by the Taliban, aimed at reshaping Afghan society to align with its hardline ideology. The group has already dismissed dozens of university professors accused of defying state values, suppressed dissent on campuses, and redesigned curricula to expand religious instruction.

Earlier this week, several Afghan provinces also experienced internet shutdowns ordered by the Taliban to curb what it described as misuse, disrupting online learning and access to information.