Afghan Universities Reopen, But Women Still Barred

Afghan women protest in Kabul against the Taliban's ban on letting females attend universities. (file photo)

Male students trickled back to their classes on March 6 after Afghan universities reopened following a winter break, but women remain barred by Taliban authorities. The university ban is one of several restrictions imposed on women since the Taliban stormed back to power in August 2021, and has sparked global outrage -- including across the Muslim world. The Taliban government imposed the ban after accusing women students of ignoring a strict dress code and a requirement to be accompanied by a male relative to and from campus.