US stops $25 million payment to Afghan women's university

Laila, a political science student in her mid-twenties, woke in the middle of the night to find an email that changed her plans. The United States will no longer fund the American University of Afghanistan, or AUAF. She is one of roughly 1,000 students at the institution, about three-quarters of whom are women. Because the Taliban controls the campus, she attends classes online from her home. Her classmates use aliases and keep their cameras off, so she recognizes them only by their voices.

Her path to AUAF began after the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. She was finishing her degree at another university in Kabul when the group took over. In December 2022, the Taliban banned women from higher education, leaving her studies unfinished. She won a scholarship to AUAF and restarted her education. She noted that not every girl had that chance.

Fear is a constant part of her routine. Some students have received threatening calls and messages. Laila worries that Taliban officials will search her phone for university emails. She said authorities have entered her home several times to inspect the family's belongings. She remains on alert, thinking that it could be her turn next.

The university opened in 2006 with funding announced by former US first lady Laura Bush. Bush described the school as a place to train future leaders, especially women. Patrick Fine, who served as the Afghanistan mission director at USAID, said the Bush administration viewed the project as a way to stabilize a young democracy. However, the project drew criticism early on, with some at USAID viewing it as risky or a waste of money.

Financial scrutiny increased in Washington in the following decade. US inspectors opened an investigation into the university's finances in 2016. By 2018, they reported that poor accounting made it difficult to track how aid money was spent. John Sopko, a former federal inspector who oversaw the probe, said he was surprised the US was still funding the institution.

The State Department press office told Deutsche Welle that the funding halt reflects a history of repeated lack of accountability for American taxpayer dollars. Fine rejected that explanation as smear tactics. He acknowledged that audits found the university struggled with USAID rules but stated they did not find major fraud. He called the university a worthy investment because it continues to reach Afghan women.

The US has paid nearly 90% of the university's costs, according to a 2018 report. The State Department said the university is free to find other funders, so operations may continue. However, the refusal of the $25 million grant leaves the institution's future uncertain. Laila said she has lost motivation and hope. She now thinks she may take five or ten years to finish her degree.