At least 74 Afghan girls have graduated from American universities through a scholarship initiative supported by the Qatar Development Fund, highlighting both the resilience of Afghan women and the continuing restrictions imposed on education inside Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
According to the Foundation for Superior Education, the graduates completed undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at 27 higher education institutions across the United States since the fall of 2025.
The beneficiaries were among Afghan girls whose education was disrupted after the Taliban prohibited secondary and higher education for women and girls across Afghanistan.
The foundation said the broader Qatar Scholarship Programme for Afghans has so far provided access to higher education opportunities for at least 426 Afghan students, including many young women whose academic futures were placed in jeopardy by the Taliban’s policies.
Speaking at a graduation ceremony, Foundation President Mohammed Saad Al-Kubaisi praised the determination of the graduates, describing their success as a testament to perseverance in the face of extraordinary obstacles.
“We celebrate more than academic achievement,” he said. “We honor the courage, discipline and determination of Afghan girls who continued their education despite the Taliban’s ban and difficult circumstances.”
Al-Kubaisi said education remains a pathway to stability, sustainable development and human dignity, adding that the scholarship initiative reflects confidence in the abilities and potential of Afghan youth.
He also thanked the Qatar Development Fund, partner organizations and participating American universities for supporting the programme.
The achievement comes as Afghanistan remains the only country in the world where girls and women are prohibited from pursuing education beyond the sixth grade.
More than four years after the Taliban returned to power, the restrictions continue to draw criticism from international organizations, human rights advocates and governments worldwide.
The graduation of dozens of Afghan women abroad serves as a reminder that when educational opportunities are available, Afghan girls continue to excel academically despite the barriers imposed upon them at home.
For many observers, the success of these graduates stands in stark contrast to the reality facing millions of girls inside Afghanistan, where classroom doors remain closed under policies the Taliban continue to describe as an internal matter.
The development also comes amid growing international scrutiny of Taliban policies beyond education. Recent reports have documented allegations of arbitrary detentions, forced confessions, torture in detention facilities, corporal punishments and claims of sexual violence attributed to Taliban officials, further intensifying concerns over the human rights situation in Afghanistan.
