Anna Kelly, Deputy White House Press Secretary, has stated that Afghan women are suffering under the Taliban’s harsh and restrictive policies, which she described as “medieval laws.”
She attributed the situation to the “disastrous withdrawal” of U.S. forces from Afghanistan during President Joe Biden’s administration.
Speaking to The Washington Post about the impact of the suspension of U.S. foreign aid on Afghan women’s education, Kelly remarked, “Joe Biden’s disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal allowed the Taliban to conduct a hostile takeover of the country’s government and impose medieval Sharia law policies.”
According to the report, numerous educational initiatives for Afghan women—including online courses and international scholarship programmes—have been suspended due to the halt in U.S. foreign aid.
Between 2005 and 2019, the United States invested approximately $167 million in the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF), which has been a major provider of online education for Afghan women. The institution, now operating from Doha, Qatar, has announced the suspension of its Spring 2025 semester, a decision that will affect nearly 700 students.
Similarly, the Asian University for Women in Bangladesh, which had become a refuge for Afghan female students, has postponed the admission of 330 new students due to funding cuts. Many Afghan women who had planned to study abroad now face an uncertain future.
International organisations and human rights groups have expressed deep concern over the consequences of the aid suspension, particularly for Afghan women and girls.
The crisis was exacerbated when U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on his first day in office, suspending all U.S. foreign aid. The decision has significantly impacted humanitarian and educational programmes worldwide.
Beyond education, experts warn of severe economic ramifications for Afghanistan. The Center for Global Development, a Washington-based think tank, estimated last week that if U.S. aid remains suspended for a year, Afghanistan’s gross national income could decline by up to seven percent.
