The Taliban has reportedly given the green light for female high school graduates in Afghanistan to enroll in government medical institutions for the upcoming school year starting in March.
The announcement comes as the entry process has commenced in over a dozen provinces, following a directive from the Ministry of Public Health in Kabul, as reported by the Taliban-run state-run Bakhtar News Agency on Tuesday. However, the agency did not offer further details, and there has been no immediate response from Afghan officials regarding the alleged order.
This move, if confirmed, suggests a potential relaxation for girls who graduated before the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021, allowing them to resume their education and pursue careers in the health sector. The health industry remains one of the few sectors where Afghan women are still permitted to work.
Amid concerns raised by aid groups about the detrimental impact of restrictions on women’s education and employment on Afghanistan’s fragile health sector, the reported Ministry of Health order may offer a glimmer of hope. The United Nations, echoing these concerns, has repeatedly warned about the shortage of qualified health workers, particularly women, in Afghanistan. UN Secretary-General Guterres reiterated on Tuesday the urgent need for the Taliban to end their ban on girls’ education and women’s employment.
Leave a Reply