Afghanistan: Taliban closes universities to women

 

Taliban- led government have announced the closure of universities for women in Afghanistan, according to a letter by the higher education minister.

The minister says the move is until further notice. It is expected to take effect immediately.

It further limits women's access to formal education, as they were already banned from most secondary schools.

Three months ago thousands of girls and women sat university entrance exams across Afghanistan.

After the takeover of Afghanistan by the hardline Islamists in August last year, universities were forced to implement new rules including gender-segregated classrooms and entrances, and women were only permitted to be taught by female professors or old men.