About 2.4 million girls in Afghanistan remain excluded from secondary education: UNESCO
Kabul, Aug 12
Around 2.4 million girls in Afghanistan have been unable to access secondary education since 2021, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation said adding that the continued exclusion of girls and women from education constitutes a grave violation of their fundamental human right to learn.
In the statement, UNESCO condemned the discrimination against women and girls and demanded the immediate restoration of their right to education.
"For five years now, Afghanistan is the only country in the world to formally prohibit access to education for girls and women beyond the primary level. As of 2026, an estimated 2.4 million girls remain excluded from secondary education. UNESCO condemns discrimination against women and girls and calls for the immediate and unconditional restoration of their right to education," UNESCO posted on X.
The restrictions imposed in Afghanistan have been reversing progress made in expanding access to education during 20 years period and mentioned that access to schooling for girls was severely limited in 2001; however, nearly one million girls were enrolled in secondary education by 2021.
"The continued exclusion of girls and women from education constitutes a grave violation of their fundamental human right to learn and risks condemning Afghanistan to decades of lost potential, deepening poverty, and irreversible harm. At a time when nearly half of Afghans live below the poverty line, denying girls and women access to education and restricting their employment further undermines their ability to support their families and contribute to the country's economic future," UNESCO stated.
UNESCO noted that the exclusion of girls and women from education has an impact on their wellbeing, mental and physical health and increases the risks of early marriage. It stated that the Taliban's decision to ban female teachers from teaching boys further increases teacher shortages and undermines the quality of education for all.
The UN agency expressed commitment to supporting Afghan girls and women by offering alternative pathways to learning through community-based education, literacy and skills development programmes, as well as psychosocial support. It noted that these initiatives cannot replace access to formal schooling; however, they offer vital opportunities for learning to continue while restrictions remain in place.
Since seizing power in Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban has imposed restrictions on Afghan women and girls, including banning girls from attending secondary schools beyond the sixth class, prohibiting women from studying at universities, and imposing restrictions on employment and access to public spaces.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The Taliban claims to rule according to Islamic principles, but denying education to women is not Islamic. Our own history shows that Muslim rulers like Akbar promoted education for all. This is just a power grab disguised as religion. India should use its diplomatic channels to help Afghan girls - we've always been a friend to Afghanistan and should continue to be one.
My heart goes out to those 2.4 million girls. I recently visited a women's literacy program in rural UP, and seeing the difference education makes in their confidence and earning capacity was inspiring. Afghanistan was making such good progress too - nearly one million girls in secondary school by 2021. What a tragedy that all of that has been undone. These girls are the future doctors, teachers, and leaders Afghanistan desperately needs. 😢
While I completely condemn what the Taliban is doing, we also need to question the international community's approach. The US and NATO spent 20 years and billions of dollars in Afghanistan, yet left in such a way that allowed this to happen. There should have been conditions and guarantees for women's rights before any withdrawal. Now we're just watching from the sidelines as girls lose their future.
This is what happens when extremism takes over. We in India must be vigilant too - our own neighboring regions face similar threats. The UNESCO community-based education programs are a good start, but they're just a band-aid on a deep wound. These girls deserve formal schooling, proper classrooms, and qualified teachers. The Taliban's ban on female teachers teaching boys is particularly cruel - they're trying to erase women from public life entirely.
M We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.