Women will no longer be able to go to university in Afghanistan.
The Taliban government, which resumed power last year, announced the revocation of access to higher education institutions for women.
According to a letter from the Minister of Higher Education, the measure takes effect immediately and will remain in place until further notice.
This will make it more difficult for women to access formal education, since they were already excluded from most secondary schools.
Three months ago, thousands of girls and women sat for university entrance exams across Afghanistan.
But broad restrictions were placed on the subjects they could study in majors such as veterinary science, engineering, economics, and agriculture. Journalism is severely restricted.
In response to the recent university ban, a student told the BBC that she thought the government was afraid of women and their power.
“They destroyed the only bridge that could connect me to my future,” she lamented.
“How can I react? I thought I could study and change my future or bring light into my life, but they destroyed it.”
The United States and other Western countries have made improvements in female education in Afghanistan a condition of formal recognition by the Taliban government.
the taliban regime
After the Taliban seized power last year, universities created gender-segregated classrooms and entrances.
Female students could only be taught by female teachers or older men. This responds to the Taliban’s interpretation of Islamic law.
Since the new government was installed, there has been an exodus of academics following the withdrawal of US-led forces last year.
The country’s economy has been heavily dependent on foreign aid in recent decades, but aid agencies have partly, and in some cases completely, withdrawn support for the education sector after the Taliban refused to allow for girls to attend secondary schools.
Many of the teaching staff who continue to work have not received their salary for months.
The latest measures are likely to cause further concern in the international community.
US Deputy Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood condemned the decision: “The Taliban cannot hope to be a legitimate member of the international community until they respect the rights of all Afghans,” he said.
“Especially the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and girls.”
In November, the authorities banned women from parks in the capital, Kabul, claiming that Islamic laws were not followed there.