UN condemns Taliban's ban on women in healthcare education

UNITED NATIONS: The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) has condemned the Taliban's latest ban in Afghanistan, which prevents women and girls from attending private medical institutions. The OHCHR warned that this move will have devastating consequences for healthcare, particularly affecting the future availability of midwives and nurses.
Thursday's action by the Taliban eliminated the last remaining opportunity for women to pursue higher education.
OHCHR Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani described the directive, which reportedly took effect on Tuesday, as "yet another direct blow" by the de facto authorities against Afghan women and girls. "It is profoundly discriminatory, short-sighted, and puts the lives of women and girls at risk in multiple ways," Shamdasani said.
Afghanistan already faces one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, and there are concerns that this ban will further restrict women's access to healthcare. The ban will also prevent the training of a new generation of nurses and midwives.
Under Taliban rules, male medical staff are prohibited from treating women unless accompanied by a male relative, making the presence of female healthcare workers essential.
Meanwhile, two of Afghanistan's top cricket stars—Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi—have called on the Taliban to reverse the decision to bar women from education and medicine, describing the move as "deeply unjust."
Shamdasani also emphasized that the new directive not only blocks the last remaining path for Afghan women to pursue higher education but also undermines the country’s overall healthcare system. She urged the Taliban to repeal the harmful directive, stressing, "It is high time women and girls' human rights are ensured, in line with Afghanistan's international human rights obligations."
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) expressed deep concern over the directive, noting that it poses "further restrictions" on women's rights to education and healthcare access. "Ultimately, it will have a detrimental impact on Afghanistan’s healthcare system and the country’s development," the Mission stated.
Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, called the ban "inexplicable and unjustifiable." "It will have a devastating impact on the entire population if implemented and must be reversed," Bennett said on the social media platform X.
Afghanistan’s T20 Captain, Rashid Khan, also voiced his concerns on X, stating, "Education holds a central place in Islamic teachings, emphasizing the pursuit of knowledge for both men and women. The (holy) Quran highlights the importance of learning and acknowledges the equal spiritual worth of both genders."
A few hours after Rashid's post, former Captain Mohammad Nabi echoed his sentiment on X, writing, "The Taliban’s decision to ban girls from studying medicine is not only heartbreaking but deeply unjust."