As Afghanistan’s new school year commences, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has once again called on the Taliban to lift its ongoing ban on girls’ secondary education. This restriction, in place since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021, has left millions of Afghan girls without access to education and is threatening the country’s future.
In a statement marking the third anniversary of the ban, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell emphasized the devastating consequences the policy has on Afghanistan’s future. She stated, “If these bright young girls continue to be denied an education, the repercussions will last for generations.” Currently, 2.2 million girls are deprived of their right to education, and the new school year has added 400,000 more to this number.
The Taliban had previously promised to reopen secondary schools for girls but has repeatedly reneged on this commitment. UNICEF warned that continued exclusion of girls from education will not only harm their future but will also negatively affect the country’s economy, health system, and overall development. Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, has also condemned the ban, calling it “deeply damaging for Afghanistan.” The restriction, she noted, exacerbates the country’s humanitarian crisis and weakens its economic future.
In December 2024, reports surfaced suggesting the Taliban might expand their ban to include women studying in medical faculties, such as nursing, midwifery, and gynecology. UNICEF cautioned that such a policy would jeopardize essential healthcare services for women and children.
Afghanistan remains one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, with nearly 24 million people in need of assistance, including 12.3 million children. The Taliban’s rule has intensified Afghanistan’s economic instability, worsening food insecurity, displacement, and conflict.
Despite these challenges, UNICEF has been working to provide alternative education opportunities. In 2023, the organization supported 686,000 children through community-based education classes. UNICEF has also distributed educational materials, textbooks, and high-performance tents while working to reopen schools closed due to insecurity and lack of resources.
UNICEF continues to urge the Taliban to reverse the ban and allow all girls to return to school, stressing that education is the key to Afghanistan’s future.
