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Afghanistan education crisis: 2.4 million girls denied secondary schooling
UNESCO reports that approximately 2.4 million Afghan girls are currently barred from secondary education due to Taliban restrictions. This number has increased by 200,000 since last year and is projected to reach nearly four million by 2030 if current policies persist.
Beyond secondary schooling, women are also prohibited from attending universities and are banned from teaching boys. UNESCO estimates these restrictions will result in a deficit of more than 11,000 qualified female teachers by 2030. The agency notes that Afghanistan is currently the only country in the world to formally prohibit female education beyond the primary level.
The educational crisis is compounded by poor infrastructure, with nearly half of schools lacking water, sanitation, or heating. Additionally, natural disasters have forced the closure of approximately 1,000 schools over the last five years. Literacy rates have dropped significantly, with over 90% of 10-year-old children unable to read a simple text.
Economically, the restrictions on women and girls are estimated to cost Afghanistan $9.6 billion by 2066. The UN has characterized these policies as “gender apartheid,” noting that they reverse two decades of progress in educational access.
Entities
Afghanistan · Hoda Jaberian · Taliban · UNESCO · United Nations
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] More than 90% of ten-year-old children in Afghanistan cannot read a simple text. www.bienpublic.com · www.la-croix.com
- [● 9 SOURCES] Afghanistan is the only country in the world where secondary and higher education is strictly prohibited for girls and women. www.la-croix.com · www.aljazeera.com · bbc.bm · kelo.com · wixx.com · +4 more
- [● 2 SOURCES] Nine out of 10 Afghan men believe it is important for girls to attend secondary school. www.enca.com · thefrontierpost.com
- [● 18 SOURCES] Approximately 2.4 million Afghan girls have been deprived of secondary education since the Taliban returned to power. www.bienpublic.com · www.la-croix.com · www.aljazeera.com · antiguatribune.com · bbc.bm · +13 more
- [● 18 SOURCES] If the ban persists, nearly four million girls could be deprived of education by 2030. www.bienpublic.com · www.la-croix.com · www.aljazeera.com · bbc.bm · centreline.com.pk · +13 more
- [● 8 SOURCES] The restrictions on women and girls are estimated to cost Afghanistan $9.6 billion by 2066. centreline.com.pk · islamabadpost.com.pk · newscentraltv.com · www.excelsior.com.mx · www.aljazeera.com · +3 more
- [● 8 SOURCES] Afghanistan is projected to face a deficit of more than 11,000 qualified female teachers by 2030. kelo.com · wixx.com · www.al-monitor.com · www.aljazeera.com · bbc.bm · +3 more
- [● 13 SOURCES] More than 90% of 10-year-old children in Afghanistan cannot read a simple text. kelo.com · wixx.com · elmercurio.com.ec · www.bienpublic.com · www.la-croix.com · +8 more
- [● 24 SOURCES] The number of girls denied secondary education could reach nearly four million by 2030 if the ban continues. centreline.com.pk · observador.pt · islamabadpost.com.pk · kelo.com · wixx.com · +19 more
- [● 21 SOURCES] Afghanistan is the only country globally that formally prohibits girls and women from accessing education beyond the primary level. centreline.com.pk · kelo.com · wixx.com · elmercurio.com.ec · www.enca.com · +16 more
- [DISPUTED] Approximately 2.4 million Afghan girls have been denied access to secondary education since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. centreline.com.pk · observador.pt · islamabadpost.com.pk · kelo.com · wixx.com · +20 more