Women in Afghanistan have been banned from obtaining a university education, months after the Taliban assured that “all citizens” had the right to be educated under their rule.
The ban, which is effective immediately across the entire country, was met with demonstrations that were quickly dispersed by the Taliban.
Earlier in August,a Taliban spokesperson stated that “all citizens of Afghanistan, irrespective of their gender, have a right to education” under the government’s “clear” policy. 
Since the collapse of the U.S.-backed Afghan government in 2021, the Taliban has systematically cracked down on women’s rights. Girls have been banned from middle school and high school, women have been restricted from most employment and must wear head-to-toe clothing in public.
Women are also banned from parks and gyms.Saudi Arabia and Qatar urged the Taliban Wednesday to reverse its ban on girls receiving a university education. In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry expressed regret and surprise towards the Taliban-led government’s decision.
Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a similar statement, saying the country expresses concern and disappointment with the Afghan caretaker government’s decision.
