At the least 679 titles blacklisted, together with texts on human rights, ladies’s rights and Western political thought.
Afghanistan‘s Taliban-run authorities plans to take away books written by ladies from college curricula.
A member of the committee reviewing textbooks confirmed the ban to BBC Afghan on Friday. The blacklisting is a part of an academic decree that additionally prohibits training programs “deemed in battle with Islamic Sharia”.
Advisable Tales
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The committee member instructed BBC Afghanistan that “all books authored by ladies aren’t allowed to be taught.”
At the least 679 titles have been banned resulting from their “anti-Sharia and Taliban insurance policies”, he added.
The books affected cowl each subject of research, together with texts on constitutional legislation, Islamic political actions and the political system, in addition to human rights, ladies’s research and Western political thought.
A ultimate record of banned books shall be issued to universities at a later date.
A directive, which was seen by BBC Afghan, was signed by the Taliban’s deputy larger training minister, Ziaur Rahman Aryoubi, and the 50-page record of banned books was despatched to Afghan universities on the finish of final month.
Aryoubi mentioned in a letter to the schools that the selections had been taken by a panel of “non secular students and consultants” and that the banned books ought to be changed with course supplies that “don’t battle with Islam”.
The decree is the most recent in a collection of restrictions the Taliban has imposed since returning to energy 4 years in the past.
The Taliban has cracked down on many facets of training, from firing tons of of professors on the grounds that they “opposed” the group’s ideology to rising necessary non secular coursework throughout all schools.
Ladies have been notably affected. They’re now not allowed to attend college previous the sixth grade (age 12).
Universities have additionally been ordered to cease educating 18 topics, six of that are particularly about ladies, together with gender and improvement. One other 201 programs have been beneath assessment.
‘Misogynistic mindset’
Zakia Adeli, the previous deputy minister of justice earlier than the Taliban’s return in August 2021 and creator of Political Terminology and Worldwide Relations, one of many banned books, instructed BBC Afghan that she was unsurprised by the transfer.
“Contemplating what the Taliban have achieved over the previous 4 years, it was not far-fetched to count on them to impose modifications on the curriculum,” mentioned Adeli.
“Given the Taliban’s misogynistic mindset and insurance policies, it is just pure that when ladies themselves aren’t allowed to check, their views, concepts and writings are additionally suppressed.”
Sources within the capital Kabul instructed the Impartial Persian outlet that the ban on such numerous textbooks would cripple the nation’s larger training system, as universities will now need to dedicate vital sources to discovering and buying replacements.
Alongside the female-authored books, an extra 300 written by Iranian authors or issued by Iranian publishers are being focused.
Sources, together with one on the e-book assessment committee, mentioned this was to “forestall the infiltration of Iranian content material” into the nation’s curriculum.
Lately, the connection between the 2 neighbouring international locations has been strained, notably over water rights. This pressure has been additional compounded by Iran’s ejection of more than 1.5 million Afghans who had been residing within the nation.
