Taliban wipes out decades of progress as 2.4M Afghan girls remain locked out of school, UN agency says

According to UNESCO, 2.4 million Afghan girls are currently denied secondary education, reversing decades of progress since the Taliban regained control in 2021. Afghanistan is the only country globally that formally prohibits girls from education beyond primary school. This ban, extended to universities and employment, has led to women being largely excluded from public life and paid work. UNESCO warns that these restrictions exacerbate Afghanistan's economic problems, harm the well-being of girls, and negatively impact the education system by creating teacher shortages. While UNESCO offers alternative learning programs, they cannot replace formal schooling, and the agency continues to call for the unconditional restoration of girls' and women's right to education.

UNESCO reports that approximately 2.4 million girls in Afghanistan are currently denied access to secondary education, a figure that has increased by 200,000 since last year. The UN cultural agency warns this number could rise to nearly four million by 2030 if the Taliban government does not reverse its restrictions on female education. Afghanistan is the only country globally to prohibit girls from attending secondary schools and universities. These bans, implemented in March 2022 for secondary schools and December 2022 for universities, also prevent women from teaching boys, leading to a projected shortfall of over 11,000 qualified female teachers by 2030. The article also notes broader educational challenges, including overcrowded and poorly equipped schools and a significant number of children out of primary school.

The United Nations reports that approximately 2.4 million girls in Afghanistan have been denied access to secondary education since the Taliban regained control in August 2021. This ban, which prevents girls from studying beyond primary school, is justified by Taliban authorities based on their interpretation of Islamic law. The UN has characterized these restrictions on women as "gender apartheid" and is urging an end to this discrimination. The number of girls affected has increased by 200,000 since last year, and Unesco warns this figure could reach nearly four million by 2030 if the ban continues. The Taliban government has also imposed other restrictions on women, including bans on university education, public parks, gyms, and beauty salons.