The Taliban’s decision to allow female enrollment in state-run medical institutes marks a potential shift in policy, raising questions about the future of women’s education in Afghanistan. This development comes amidst ongoing concerns about the broader implications of Taliban rule on women’s rights and healthcare access.

The Ministry of Public Health in Afghanistan has initiated the process for 12th-grade female graduates to join government medical institutes in several provinces, including Kapisa, Parwan, Panjshir, Maidan Wardak, Ghazni, Paktika, Logar, Khost, Badakhshan, Bamyan, and Paktia, reported state-run Bakhtar News Agency. This move follows a directive from the ministry to the Public Health Directorates of these provinces, instructing them to facilitate the enrollment of female graduates in health institutes.

Despite the Taliban’s previous restrictions on girls’ education beyond the sixth grade and women’s employment in public and private sectors, this reported directive from the health ministry could offer a glimmer of hope for girls seeking to resume their education and pursue careers in the health sector. However, concerns persist about the broader implications of the Taliban’s policies on women’s rights, education, and healthcare access.

Humanitarian and civil society organizations warn that the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s education and employment have exacerbated the already fragile state of Afghanistan’s healthcare system, with the country failing to produce a single doctor for over a year.

Concurrently, at a recent Pak-Afghan religious scholars’ huddle hosted by the Islamabad-based think tank Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), participants urged for resuming girls’ education in Afghanistan beyond grade 6, underscoring the pivotal role of women’s education in shaping Afghanistan’s future. Despite rhetoric advocating for inclusive educational policies, concrete steps toward implementation remain elusive, said a senior Pakistani scholar.

Neighboring countries including Pakistan and China, though stress engaging with the de facto authorities, have not recognized the Taliban as the group has not responded to the global calls for ensuring human rights and inclusive governance.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has reiterated calls for the Taliban to reverse their ban on girls’ education and women’s employment, stressing the importance of ensuring women and girls can fully participate in Afghan society. “I would like all the granddaughters and daughters in Afghanistan to enjoy exactly the same rights that my granddaughters will hopefully enjoy in my country,” he said.

Despite discussions and engagements at high-level forums such as the recent conference in Doha, which focused on dialogue with the Taliban, tangible improvements in the ground reality have been limited. However, the recent decision by the Taliban to resume admissions for female students in medical fields signals a potential shift in policy, especially considering its timing immediately after the Doha conference.

This development raises questions about whether it represents a gradual move towards re-establishing secondary education opportunities for girls in Afghanistan, a crucial aspect of their empowerment and societal participation. The coming months will likely be critical in determining the trajectory of the educational landscape and women’s rights under the Taliban regime.