More than 80 Afghan women studying in Oman are facing imminent deportation to Afghanistan after their U.S.-funded scholarship was canceled due to cuts in foreign aid by the Trump administration. The students received an email informing them of the termination of the program, which was part of the USAID initiative at the Middle East College of Oman. The Afghan women are appealing for urgent help to continue their studies abroad, as returning to Afghanistan would put them at risk of persecution and life-threatening dangers under the Taliban regime.
The scholarship program, launched in 2019 with a $50 million endowment, was intended to provide educational opportunities for female scholars from Afghanistan. However, the Trump administration’s cuts to USAID programs have resulted in the termination of the initiative, affecting more than 120 Afghan students. Nonprofit groups are working to resolve the situation with the government of Oman to prevent the students from having to return to Afghanistan, where women face severe restrictions and dangers under Taliban rule.
Politicians like Rep. Seth Moulton have criticized the elimination of the scholarship program as “shameful” and called for a reversal of the decision to protect the lives of these Afghan women. Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, they have imposed harsh restrictions on women’s rights, including banning them from education and work. The situation has sparked concerns about the safety and future of these Afghan women who are now at risk of deportation back to a country where their freedoms and lives are in jeopardy.
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