A group of more than 80 Afghan women who fled the Taliban regime to study in Oman are facing imminent deportation back to Afghanistan after their U.S.-funded scholarship was cancelled as part of the Trump administration’s cuts to foreign aid. These female students received an email on Feb. 28 informing them that the scholarship program had been terminated due to the cuts in foreign aid initiatives. The Afghan women are now appealing for urgent help to continue their studies abroad and avoid returning to a country where they face persecution and life-threatening risks.
The program, called the Women’s Scholarship Endowment, was launched in 2019 with a $50 million endowment from USAID and allowed these women to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in Oman. Interest from the endowment covered the program’s costs without requiring additional annual funding from the U.S. government. However, the cancellation of the program has left these Afghan students in a vulnerable position, fearing for their lives if they are forced to return to Afghanistan.
Since the Taliban regained power in 2021, they have imposed severe restrictions on women, including banning them from education and most forms of employment. The elimination of the scholarship program has been described as “shameful” by Rep. Seth Moulton, who called on the Trump administration to reverse course and reinstate the funding. Human rights groups and nonprofit organizations are working with the government of Oman to find a solution for these Afghan women, who are in dire need of assistance to continue their education and avoid the dangers they face in Afghanistan.
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