Around this time, students at Afghan universities take their end-of-year exams but now all female students have been denied this opportunity. They are no longer welcome at their places of study. 

A letter issued by the Afghan minister of higher education has ordered every university in the country to implement the ban with immediate effect. The letter – shared on Twitter – has been verified by several media outlets, which broke the news on Tuesday evening.

Restrictions

This is the latest in a long line of restrictions imposed on women since the hardline Islamist Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August last year. They include a ban on secondary education for girls, women being dismissed from government jobs and no longer being permitted to travel unless accompanied by a male relative.

The United Nations has voiced concern at this new ban, regarding it as a violation of the regime’s previous promise to allow women to continue their education.