Girls and women in Afghanistan continue to be plunged into darkness and total isolation, without any prospects and with growing risks to their health and life. Today, they are banned from receiving an education in higher and secondary medical schools. Such a decree was issued by the leader of Afghanistan, Haibatullah Akhundzada, reports the publication "BILD na russkogo".
"The Afghan Ministry of Health has informed health officials that girls are no longer allowed to study in these institutions," the statement said. The health minister also stressed that girls and women are not even allowed to attend medical schools and colleges.
There will no longer be female doctors, nurses or even midwives in the country
Videos of female students crying and protesting after learning of the ban are circulating on social media. The students say they were notified of the ban suddenly. “We were given just a few minutes to pack our things and leave the building,” one student said.
Medicine was one of the few areas in which Afghan women could work outside the home. After six years of schooling, girls are expected to spend most of their time in their homes, as they are not allowed to go anywhere without being accompanied by a male relative.
This year, the UN said Afghanistan needs 18,000 more midwives to meet basic needs. According to UNFPA, Afghanistan has long had one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, with one woman dying every hour from complications of pregnancy and childbirth. These deaths could largely be prevented with skilled birth care.
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Cover: Illustrative photo from ungeneva.org