The Taliban government has removed books written by women from the university teaching system in Afghanistan as part of a new ban which has also outlawed the teaching of human rights and sexual harassment.

Some 140 books by women - including titles like 'Safety in the Chemical Laboratory' - were among 680 books found to be of 'concern' due to 'anti-Sharia and Taliban policies'.

The universities were further told they were no longer allowed to teach 18 subjects, with a Taliban official stating they were 'in conflict' with the principles of Sharia and the system's policy.

The decree is the latest in a series of restrictions implemented by the Taliban since returning to power four years ago.

Just this week, fibre-optic internet was banned in at least 10 provinces on the orders of the Taliban's supreme leader in a move officials stated was made to prevent immorality.

While the rules impact many aspects of life, women and girls have been particularly hard-hit; they are barred from accessing education past the sixth grade, with one of their last avenues for further education closing in late 2024 when midwifery courses were quietly shut down.

Now, even university subjects about women have come under fire: six of the 18 banned subjects are specifically about women, including Gender and Development and Women's Sociology.

The Taliban government claims it respects women's rights according to its interpretation of Afghan culture and Islamic law.

A member of the committee reviewing the books confirmed the ban on books written by women, stating unequivocally that 'all books authored by women are not allowed to be taught'.

Zakia Adeli, a former deputy minister of justice prior to the Taliban's return, expressed that she was unsurprised by this censorship. 'Given the Taliban's misogynistic mindset and policies, it is only natural that when women aren't allowed to study, their views and writings are also suppressed.'

The new guidelines, issued in late August, indicate a significant shift in Afghanistan's educational landscape. Ziaur Rahman Aryubi, Taliban’s deputy academic director, stated that decisions were made by a panel of 'religious scholars and experts'.

In addition to banning women's books, the guidelines seem to target works by Iranian authors or publishers, aiming to 'prevent the infiltration of Iranian content' within the Afghan curriculum.

This new limitation poses significant challenges for lecturers and students alike, leading to fears of a substantial educational void. With many faculty members adjusting to these restrictions, the possibility of maintaining educational standards under these conditions remains questionable.