Why You Should Care About Afghanistan’s Midwives

Afghanistan is already one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a woman. On December 3rd, reports surfaced that the Taliban had escalated this grim reality by banning women from studying midwifery and nursing. (While the Taliban has yet to issue any formal statement, reports have emerged from multiple schools across the country, along with statements from nursing and midwifery students who were forced to leave and told not to return.) These professions represented some of the last remaining opportunities for Afghan women to access education and professional development.

This decision is not just a tragedy for Afghan women, it’s a public health crisis and a stark warning for the rest of the world.

Midwives do far more than deliver babies. They are highly trained medical professionals and experts in women’s health, providing up to 90% of essential healthcare for women and newborns worldwide. In Afghanistan, where male healthcare workers are often restricted from treating female patients due to cultural and religious norms, female midwives are irreplaceable. In a country with one of the highest maternal mortality rates globally, access to a midwife can mean the difference between life and death. If women are prohibited from training as healthcare professionals while simultaneously being barred from accessing care from male providers, the outcome is inevitable: women will die.

The consequences of this decision extend far beyond Afghanistan. When regimes erase women, it sends a chilling global message: that women’s rights are negotiable, that progress can be undone, and that systemic inequality can deepen unchecked. Worse still, it emboldens other oppressive regimes to follow suit, reinforcing cycles of discrimination and suppression with devastating ripple effects.

The suppression of Afghan women in healthcare is not an isolated issue. It is a glaring example of how the erasure of women, their education, their voices, their agency, leads to widespread harm, not only for the women themselves but for entire communities. Studies consistently show that when women are empowered, societies thrive. Stripping away women’s access to education and leadership harms everyone.

Why should you care? Because this isn’t just about Afghanistan. It’s about the values we uphold as a global community. It’s about standing against oppression wherever it manifests. It’s about recognizing that the fight for Afghan women is the fight for women everywhere. Failing to act sets a dangerous precedent, signaling to the world that erasing women is acceptable.

What can individuals do? Amplify the voices of Afghan women by sharing their stories and struggles. Awareness is a powerful tool against oppression. By sharing this story and creating visibility for the unfolding crisis, you help to keep pressure on those in power. If no one protests, the Taliban remains unchecked. Support grassroots organizations that work tirelessly to protect women’s rights and provide education and healthcare in Afghanistan, they need our backing now more than ever. Global leaders must also be held accountable to act, whether through diplomatic pressure, targeted sanctions, or tying aid to women’s rights. Finally, we must advocate for pathways that allow Afghan women to continue their education, whether through scholarships or safe immigration channels, so they can return stronger when the time is right.

The midwives of Afghanistan are more than healthcare providers, they are the backbone of a system that sustains families, communities, and futures. Their erasure isn’t just a loss for Afghanistan, it’s a loss for us all. Now is the time to stand up, speak out, and ensure this injustice does not go unanswered. Because when women are erased, everyone suffers.