Taliban bans verification of women’s documents, suspends academic checks for all students

The Taliban’s foreign ministry has refused to verify women’s academic documents, according to Afghanistan International. Two women in Kabul told Afghanistan International they were informed at the ministry gate that “verification of women’s documents is now banned”.

This marks the latest restriction imposed by the Taliban on Afghan women and girls.

Several women in Kabul expressed frustration, saying the Taliban can’t be reformed and growing more extreme and intolerant each day.

They said the group treats women with contempt and is even refusing to verify academic certificates issued under the previous government.

At the same time, sources in the Taliban’s higher education ministry told Afghanistan International that Neda Mohammad Nadeem, Taliban minister of higher education, has instructed all public universities to stop verifying academic records for both male and female students for international institutions and foreign countries.

The decision was reportedly taken by the ministry’s leadership council, with university heads given verbal orders not to respond to emails from foreign universities or organisations seeking confirmation of semesters, grades or graduation status.

Sources said the directive effectively halts official correspondence and blocks verification processes for Afghans seeking work abroad or engagement with international organisations.

Nadeem reportedly advised university officials to implement the policy “quietly and confidentially” to avoid public attention.

Many citizens have described the move as unjust, saying it closes pathways to higher education and employment opportunities abroad. For women, it closes all the doors to higher education. 

The administration has banned education for girls above sixth grade and prohibited women from working, including within international organizations such as UN.

International pressure has so far failed to change these policies.

Decrees by Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban leader, and regulations from the ministry for the propagation of virtue and prevention of vice have severely affected Afghan women’s daily lives, imposing wide-ranging restrictions.

Recent international reports highlight the broader impact of restrictions on women in Afghanistan. The United Nations estimates that around 21.9mn people that is nearly half the population will require humanitarian aid in 2026, amid worsening conditions and declining women’s rights.

UN assessments also indicate that restrictions on women are costing the Afghan economy over $1bn annually, limiting access to education, employment, and overall economic recovery.

Earlier measures had tightened restrictions on women. These included new rules limiting public speech and interaction with men, the closure of beauty salons in Kabul which affected around 60,000 women workers and the suspension of medical training for women, adding pressure to an already strained healthcare system.

Four years after the Taliban’s return to power, UN agencies warn that women face increasing exclusion from public life, including barriers to education, work, and movement without a male guardian.