Despite being distanced from academic environments, several female professors at both government and private universities in Afghanistan have continued their scholarly pursuits over the past three years.
Eight female professors interviewed for this report revealed that, in spite of being removed from university settings, they have successfully published articles in national and international journals and made significant contributions to academic endeavors.
At their request, the identities of the professors interviewed have been kept confidential. One professor at Kabul University, who had taught for 11 years, said that the closure of universities to women has reduced her sense of value and social impact, but she remains determined. Over the past two years, in addition to translating a book, she has had two scientific articles published in international journals.
She explains, “On one hand, we, the professors, have been deprived of the opportunity to teach and transfer knowledge, which is not only a blow to our professional and academic identity, but it has also diminished our sense of value and social impact. During the closure of universities, I managed to advance from the position of Assistant Professor to Full Professor. During this time, I published two national articles, two international articles, and I am also translating a book.”
Another professor from Kabul University, who has written several articles in the past three years, elaborates on her achievements: “After the universities closed, I remained active academically; during this time, I managed to publish two national articles and one international article in collaboration with another professor. I also finalized the translation and editing of a book, and I have translated and edited several smaller articles and texts.”
A third professor from Kabul University, who has a book ready for publication and has written articles in her field of expertise, says: “Fortunately, over the past almost three years, despite the limitations, I have continued my academic activities. I managed to write three national articles to improve my academic rank and one international article. I am now working on a textbook, which is almost finalized and has passed editing. I realize that writing a book in this time may not be very useful, as the Ministry of Information and Culture is facing difficulties granting permission to publish books.”
Similarly, a professor from Balkh University, who has been writing articles for the past three years and is now focused on writing a book, states that continuing her academic work allows her to serve her students. “The closure of universities has not hindered my academic activities. One of the main activities I’ve pursued is continuing my research in my field. In addition to working on academic articles, some of which have been published, I am also working on a book so that I can serve my students in the future.”
Despite these continued academic efforts, many female professors report feeling social and psychological pressure due to their separation from academic environments, often feeling isolated.
One professor at the Faculty of Education in Kabul, shares that her continued academic work has not alleviated the psychological pressures of being away from university. “The closure of universities to women has taken away all my motivation and hope,” she said. “This decision has had a severe impact on my morale, identity, and professional future. Additionally, I have experienced significant psychological pressure, as the opportunities for education and employment for me and other women in Afghanistan have been severely limited.”
On the other hand, some professors express concerns about the long-term consequences of the university closures for girls and the prohibition on female professors teaching, warning that the situation could cause irreparable damage to Afghanistan’s education sector.
A female professor at the Faculty of Education in Kabul, who has taught for 36 years, says: “If this trend continues, it will have an irreversible impact on the country’s history, and perhaps the Ministry of Higher Education will not be able to recover from this damage for the next 20 years. Being away from knowledge and the educational environment for a period will lower the level of education, lead the society toward educational poverty, and reduce literacy levels.”
She also comments on the impact of the shortage of academic staff in Afghanistan: “The shortage of academic staff is the biggest challenge that educational institutions are currently facing. If this issue is not addressed, it will have negative consequences for these institutions in the near future, and they will lose the remaining experienced and qualified staff. The shortage of professors in faculties has increased the teaching pressure on remaining professors and lowered the quality of teaching. A professor who was supposed to teach one subject per semester is now forced to teach more than four subjects.”
Male professors in universities also acknowledge that the absence of female academic staff has contributed to the decline in the quality of education in Afghanistan.
Ahmad Ershad Azimi, a professor at a private university, says: “The absence of female professors in universities has a direct impact on the quality of teaching, research, and updating of course materials. Although efforts have been made over the past two or three years to fill this gap, there are still gaps left due to the absence of female professors.”
Women’s rights activists also believe that the lack of female professors in universities has led to economic and psychological challenges for these professors, while also contributing to the decline in the education system’s quality.
Mahboba Habibi, a women’s rights activist, states: “Female professors who have completed doctoral studies and dedicated time and effort to reach this level are now deprived of the opportunity to teach, which affects their mental health and puts them under economic pressure. We call on the caretaker government to reopen universities and schools to all as soon as possible.”
However, officials from the Ministry of Information and Culture under the Islamic Emirate say that if textbooks and scientific articles align with the ministry’s policies, they will be permitted for publication.
“The ministry has no issue with the publication of articles or journals written by authors, whether male or female. These works are supported and can be published in the ministry’s publications. Authors can also submit their books to the Book Evaluation Committee, and if the content aligns with the ministry’s policies, the book will be published,” spokesperson for the Ministry of Information and Culture Khobaib Ghofran told Salam Watandar.
The Ministry of Higher Education under the Islamic Emirate de-facto government suspended the education of girls and the presence of female professors in both government and private universities through a decree issued in December 2022. Over two years later, there has been no news of the reopening of universities to female professors and students.
