Afghanistan: Taliban closes universities to women

The Taliban have announced the closure of universities for women in Afghanistan, according to a letter by the higher education minister.

The minister says the move is until further notice. It is expected to take effect immediately.

It further restricts women’s access to formal education, as they were already excluded from secondary schooling.

Three months ago thousands of girls and women sat university entrance exams across Afghanistan.

But sweeping restrictions were imposed on the subjects they could study, with veterinary science, engineering, economics and agriculture off limits and journalism severely restricted.

After the Taliban takeover last year, universities included gender segregated classrooms and entrances.

Female students could only be taught by women professors or old men.

In November, the authorities banned women from parks in the capital Kabul, claiming Islamic laws were not being followed there.