Taliban closes universities for women in Afghanistan

The Taliban on Tuesday immediately suspended classes for women in universities in Afghanistan until further notice, according to a letter from the higher education minister.

Girls were already prohibited from returning to secondary schools earlier this year after the schools were shut down hours before they were scheduled to reopen for the first time since the U.S. withdrawal in August 2021.

Minister for Higher Education Neda Mohammad Nadim wrote Tuesday in a letter that all public and private higher educational institutes must "immediately implement the mentioned order of suspending education of females until further notice," Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported. 

The Taliban had promised to take a softer rule than when they were previously in power. However, the Islamic Emirate has since mandated for all Afghan women to wear full head-to-toe coverings in public. Women are also no longer allowed to work in most sectors and require a male guardian for travel.

Human Rights Watch criticized the ban as a "shameful decision that violates the right to education for women and girls in Afghanistan," CNN reported.