About 2.4 million girls in Afghanistan remain excluded from secondary education: UNESCO

Kabul: Around 2.4 million girls in Afghanistan have been unable to access secondary education since 2021, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) 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