The scholarships of over 80 Afghan women students in Oman, which were funded by USAID, have been abruptly terminated due to a funding freeze initiated by President Trump. With the Taliban's restrictions on women's education in Afghanistan, these women now confront imminent deportation and a bleak future.
Afghan Women’s Studies in Peril: Imminent Deportation Awaits Scholarship Recipients in Oman
Afghan Women’s Studies in Peril: Imminent Deportation Awaits Scholarship Recipients in Oman
Over 80 Afghan women pursuing higher education in Oman face eviction back to Afghanistan following the USAID funding freeze, putting their safety and academic futures at risk.
More than 80 Afghan women, who fled the Taliban to pursue higher education in Oman, are facing the imminent threat of deportation back to Afghanistan due to a freeze on foreign aid programs initiated by the Trump administration. The scholarships funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) were abruptly discontinued, leaving the young women in limbo after hopes of continuing their education turned into despair.
A student, remaining anonymous for fear of retribution, shared her distress, stating, "It was heart-breaking... we have been told we will be sent back within two weeks.” The situation derives from the Trump administration's sweeping funding freeze, which has faced legal challenges but has nonetheless jeopardized many humanitarian initiatives worldwide.
The women's scholarships, secured through the Women's Scholarship Endowment (WSE) program that was established in 2018, focused on providing opportunities for Afghan women to study STEM disciplines—areas now forbidden for women under the Taliban government. Following the Taliban's takeover nearly four years ago, restrictive policies have been steadily imposed, directly impacting women's education.
In notifications the students received, it was confirmed that their scholarships were terminated due to the cessation of USAID funding, with plans for their return to Afghanistan already underway. The urgency of the situation prompts the students to appeal for international intervention, emphasizing their immediate need for protection and opportunities for resettlement.
Many of these women, now in their twenties, qualified for scholarships just a year before the Taliban regained control over Afghanistan. They managed to leave their home country last year, passing through Pakistan to reach Oman, where they had been empowered to continue their academic pursuits.
"For us to be sent back means losing all our dreams," one student lamented. Fears abound about potential forced marriages and the threat to their safety due to their prior activism in education. The Taliban has a notorious record of repressing women who assert their rights; activists have faced violence, arrests, and threats.
Despite asserting efforts to resolve women's education issues, the Taliban has continued to uphold policies many view as a form of gender apartheid, limiting women’s access to education and basic rights. The plight of these Afghan women reflects both immediate humanitarian needs and broader geopolitical consequences tied to U.S. foreign policy.
With the decisions around the funding freeze rolling upward from the Trump administration, comments from current officials reflect a complex narrative linking the withdrawal of U.S. military forces to the resurgence of the Taliban's oppressive regime. Amid these layers of political discourse, the Afghan women's urgent need for support and protection remains a glaring call to action for the international community.
