More than 80 Afghan women, who fled the Taliban to pursue studies in Oman, now risk deportation back home due to a freeze on funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Their scholarships, which supported education banned under Taliban rule, were abruptly discontinued, leaving them in distress as they seek urgent international intervention to avoid returning to perilous circumstances.
Afghan Women Students Face Deportation Amid USAID Funding Freeze
Afghan Women Students Face Deportation Amid USAID Funding Freeze
Over 80 Afghan women studying in Oman confront imminent return to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan as their scholarships are axed following U.S. aid cuts.
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In a heartbreaking turn of events, over 80 Afghan women students studying in Oman face imminent deportation back to Afghanistan as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has frozen their scholarships. Following a funding cessation instituted by President Donald Trump after returning to office in January, these women find themselves at risk of being forced back to their home country where the Taliban has imposed severe restrictions on female education.
An anonymous student shared her distress with the BBC, stating, "It was heart-breaking... everyone was shocked and crying." The students received alarming communications indicating travel arrangements for their return to Afghanistan, intensifying their fears about potential repercussions from the Taliban regime. The USAID scholarships had previously enabled thousands of Afghan women to pursue higher education abroad or online, but the current funding freeze places these opportunities in jeopardy.
The abrupt cuts to humanitarian programs under the Trump administration have created unprecedented challenges for Afghan women who risk losing their chance for a better future. In turn, the students have urgently appealed for international assistance to remain safe and continue their education. According to emails received by the 82 women, their scholarships have been "discontinued" due to the recent aid freeze, an announcement described as profoundly disappointing by the recipients.
These students had been participating in the Women's Scholarship Endowment (WSE) programme, an initiative that began in 2018, aimed at providing scholarships for Afghan women to study in fields that the Taliban has banned. "If we are sent back, we will face severe consequences... it would mean losing all our dreams," one student expressed, highlighting the potential dangers that could arise from a return to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
Most of the women, primarily in their 20s, had obtained their scholarships before the Taliban's seizure of power in August 2021. Following the Taliban's ban on higher education for women in December 2022, many of these students sought refuge in Pakistan before relocating to Oman with the support of USAID.
The students’ fear stems from the Taliban's ongoing crackdown on women, with reports of activists facing threats, violence, and arrest for demanding their rights. "Women in Afghanistan describe themselves as 'dead bodies moving around' under the regime's brutal policies," illustrating a dire reality. While the Taliban claims to be addressing the issue of women's education, the stark contrast between their actions and words paints a bleak picture.
Calls for urgent intervention have mounted as the students in Oman express their frustrations over the abrupt termination of support that was expected to last through 2028. The recent political maneuvering and aid cuts reflect a troubling narrative that places the futures of these women in jeopardy, raising serious concerns about human rights and the moral responsibilities tied to international partnerships.
With their status rapidly changing, these students are racing against time to secure a lifeline that could prevent them from returning to a country where their aspirations may lead to dire consequences.
In a heartbreaking turn of events, over 80 Afghan women students studying in Oman face imminent deportation back to Afghanistan as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has frozen their scholarships. Following a funding cessation instituted by President Donald Trump after returning to office in January, these women find themselves at risk of being forced back to their home country where the Taliban has imposed severe restrictions on female education.
An anonymous student shared her distress with the BBC, stating, "It was heart-breaking... everyone was shocked and crying." The students received alarming communications indicating travel arrangements for their return to Afghanistan, intensifying their fears about potential repercussions from the Taliban regime. The USAID scholarships had previously enabled thousands of Afghan women to pursue higher education abroad or online, but the current funding freeze places these opportunities in jeopardy.
The abrupt cuts to humanitarian programs under the Trump administration have created unprecedented challenges for Afghan women who risk losing their chance for a better future. In turn, the students have urgently appealed for international assistance to remain safe and continue their education. According to emails received by the 82 women, their scholarships have been "discontinued" due to the recent aid freeze, an announcement described as profoundly disappointing by the recipients.
These students had been participating in the Women's Scholarship Endowment (WSE) programme, an initiative that began in 2018, aimed at providing scholarships for Afghan women to study in fields that the Taliban has banned. "If we are sent back, we will face severe consequences... it would mean losing all our dreams," one student expressed, highlighting the potential dangers that could arise from a return to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
Most of the women, primarily in their 20s, had obtained their scholarships before the Taliban's seizure of power in August 2021. Following the Taliban's ban on higher education for women in December 2022, many of these students sought refuge in Pakistan before relocating to Oman with the support of USAID.
The students’ fear stems from the Taliban's ongoing crackdown on women, with reports of activists facing threats, violence, and arrest for demanding their rights. "Women in Afghanistan describe themselves as 'dead bodies moving around' under the regime's brutal policies," illustrating a dire reality. While the Taliban claims to be addressing the issue of women's education, the stark contrast between their actions and words paints a bleak picture.
Calls for urgent intervention have mounted as the students in Oman express their frustrations over the abrupt termination of support that was expected to last through 2028. The recent political maneuvering and aid cuts reflect a troubling narrative that places the futures of these women in jeopardy, raising serious concerns about human rights and the moral responsibilities tied to international partnerships.
With their status rapidly changing, these students are racing against time to secure a lifeline that could prevent them from returning to a country where their aspirations may lead to dire consequences.
