More than 80 Afghan women are studying Oman on scholarships funded by the United States – dismissed last month due to Trump administration’s scanning cuts – received a temporary stay.
A spokesperson for the US State Department told the BBC that funding will continue until June 30, 2025.
“This is excellent news, and we are very grateful,” said a student at the BBC, speaking anonymously for fear of reprisals. “But I hope there will be a permanent solution.”
Women fled that the Taliban have judged that Afghanistan to continue its studies abroad, but the brutal frost of the American Agency for International Development (USAID) has endeavored them to be returned.
Since the retirement of power in Afghanistan almost four years ago, the Taliban have imposed draconian restrictions on women, in particular by prohibiting them from universities.
Oman students were pursuing graduate and third cycle diplomas under the granting of women’s scholarships (WSE), an USAID program launched in 2018 to finance studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
On February 28, they were informed that their scholarships ended and that they would be sent back to Afghanistan within two weeks, which caused “shocks and tears”.
“We are relieved now, but we are still deeply concerned about our future,” said a student. “If the scholarship is not renewed, we will not find ourselves any choice than to return to Afghanistan, where we cannot study, and our security could also be threatened.”
The American government has not responded to the BBC surveys on the moment when a final decision is made.
The BBC has also contacted Oman’s government to find out if he is looking for alternative funding.
The Taliban government of Afghanistan says that it has tried to resolve the issue of women’s education, but also defended the diktats of its supreme leader, saying that they are “in accordance with the Islamic Sharia law”.
He repressed women protesting against education and work, with many beaten, detained and threatened activists.
Women in Afghanistan describe themselves as “corpses moving” as part of regime policies.
Before the extension of funding, a member of the WHO staff had told the BBC that he “urgently sought alternative funding sources”. Calling the situation “dangerous and devastating”, the staff member warned that students could face the persecution and forced weddings back in Afghanistan.
Women, mainly in their twenties, qualified for scholarships in 2021 before the Taliban seized Afghanistan. Many continued their studies in Afghan universities until December 2022, when the Taliban prohibited higher education for women.
After 18 months in the limbo, they said they fled in Pakistan last September.
Usaid then facilitated his visas in Oman, where they arrived between October and November 2024.
The decision to reduce the financing of American aid is noted from the Trump administration and was implemented by the Elon Musk government ministry.
Additional reports by Aakriti Thapar and Andrew Clarance
