Afghan women who escaped the Taliban’s oppressive regime to pursue higher education abroad are facing a new wave of uncertainty following abrupt cuts to U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funding. These cuts, enacted during the Trump administration, had threatened to force over 80 Afghan women students studying in Oman back to their war-torn homeland where their right to education is severely restricted.
In a recent turn of events, these women received a temporary reprieve as the U.S. State Department announced that funding will continue until June 30, 2025. One anonymous student expressed her gratitude, stating, “This is great news, and we are very grateful. But I hope there will be a permanent solution.” This reprieve comes amid widespread concerns about the Taliban’s draconian restrictions, including banning women from universities and punishing those protesting for educational rights.
The women in question were granted USAID scholarships to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) as part of the Women’s Scholarship Endowment (WSE) program. Launched in 2018, this initiative aimed to empower Afghan women in fields that are traditionally male-dominated. However, the abrupt termination of their scholarships last month resulted in “shock and tears,” as they faced the grim prospect of returning to Afghanistan within two weeks.
With their plight highlighted in international media, the complex geopolitical implications of American foreign aid and its effects on education for women in Afghanistan came to the forefront. A WSE employee described the situation as “dangerous and devastating,” warning about the potential persecution and forced marriages awaiting these students upon return. Women in Afghanistan have poignantly articulated their despair under the current regime, describing themselves as “dead bodies moving around.”
The Taliban’s regime has tried to justify its restrictive policies as consistent with Islamic Sharia law, even as they continue to crack down violently on protests advocating for women’s rights. As the students in Oman await a more permanent solution, they express anxiety for their futures. One student said, “We are relieved now, but we are still deeply concerned about our future. If the scholarship is not renewed, we will be left with no option but to return to Afghanistan, where we cannot study, and our safety could be under threat as well.”
Despite the announcement of ongoing funding, the U.S. government’s final decisions on foreign aid remain highly scrutinized. The Biden administration needs to reassess its approach to aid for vulnerable populations like Afghan women, while ensuring that restrictive policies introduced under Trump’s administration do not perpetuate cycles of oppression and educational deprivation.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. The futures of women scholars hang in the balance, tangled in a complex web of political and humanitarian concerns that call for international attention and action.