Afghanistan’s restrictions on women are becoming a public health emergency

AI Summary

Restrictions imposed by the Taliban on Afghan women, particularly in education and healthcare, have precipitated a public health emergency in Afghanistan. These limitations have excluded millions of girls from education and have led to a shortage of female healthcare professionals, impacting medical services.

It’s been five years since the Taliban returned to power, and restrictions on Afghan girls and women have continued to deepen. What began with the suspension of secondary education for girls has evolved into a sweeping system of exclusion that now affects nearly every aspect of women’s lives.Afghanistan is the only country in the world where girls are prohibited from attending school beyond the sixth grade and women are banned from higher education. As of 2026, UNESCO reports that an estimated 2.4 million girls are excluded from secondary education.1 Alongside these education bans have come restrictions on women’s employment, freedom of movement, participation in public life, and, more recently, medical education and training.23 In December 2024, women and girls were barred from studying at public and private medical institutes, including nursing and midwifery training. Suspension of women’s medical education is already reducing the availability of female health professionals.4 In healthcare...