Afghanistan Peace Campaign
The White House deputy press secretary stated that Afghan women face severe oppression following the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Anna Kelly, deputy press secretary for the White House, has stated that Afghan women are facing severe oppression due to the “disastrous” withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan during Joe Biden’s presidency, leading to the imposition of medieval Taliban policies.
Kelly discussed the impact of the suspension of U.S. foreign aid on the education of Afghan women in an interview with The Washington Post. She stated that the chaotic withdrawal allowed the Taliban to seize control of the country and impose extreme Sharia laws on its citizens.
According to The Washington Post, many educational programs for Afghan women, ranging from online courses to scholarships for studying abroad, have been suspended following the halt of U.S. foreign aid. These programs were often the last hope for thousands of Afghan women and girls who were banned from attending schools and universities after the Taliban regained power.
The suspension of U.S. aid has left these women with little opportunity to pursue their education. Between 2005 and 2019, the U.S. invested approximately $167 million in the American University of Afghanistan. This university, which has now moved to Doha, Qatar, was one of the largest providers of online education for Afghan women.
However, the university announced on its website that its Spring 2025 semester has been suspended, affecting about 700 students. Afghan students hoping to study abroad are also now facing uncertain circumstances. The Asian University for Women in Bangladesh, which had become a lifeline for many Afghan women, has delayed the admission of 330 new students due to the suspension of U.S. aid.
International organizations and human rights groups have expressed deep concern about the future of Afghanistan women’s education. A UN official warned that the Trump administration’s decision to cut off foreign aid could worsen the situation for Afghanistan’s women and girls, effectively denying them access to education.
Donald Trump issued an order to suspend all U.S. foreign aid on his first day as president. This decision has had a wide-reaching impact on humanitarian and educational programs across the globe, with Afghanistan being one of the hardest-hit countries.
The suspension of U.S. foreign aid has not only crippled educational opportunities for Afghanistan’s women but also worsened the broader economic crisis in the country. With the future of Afghanistan women’s education hanging in the balance, there is a growing call for international efforts to reinstate support and safeguard the rights of women and girls in the country.