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[INTERNATIONAL] · Afghanistan · 4 sources

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Afghanistan: 2.4 million girls barred from education under Taliban rule

Five years after the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, Afghanistan has become the only nation in the world to formally prohibit women and girls from accessing education beyond the primary level. Data released by UNESCO and UN Women indicates that approximately 2.4 million girls are currently barred from secondary education, a figure that grew by 200,000 in the last year alone.

UNESCO warns that if these restrictions persist, the number of girls out of school could reach four million by 2030. The systematic exclusion of women is projected to have severe economic consequences; estimates suggest that by 2066, the exclusion of women from the workforce could result in a cumulative loss of $9.6 billion in income and force 600,000 women out of the labor market.

Beyond education, the Taliban has issued over 100 decrees targeting women, including restrictions on movement, access to public spaces like parks and gyms, and the prohibition of women teaching boys. These measures have been described by the UN as “gender apartheid.” The crisis is further compounded by a national literacy rate of only 37% and an increased risk of child and forced marriages.

Entities

Afghanistan · Hoda Jaberian · International Criminal Court · Taliban · UN Women · UNESCO

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