An estimated 2.4 million Afghan girls remain excluded from secondary education five years after the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan, according to a report by UNESCO released Tuesday.
Key Takeaways
UNESCO reports that 2.4 million Afghan girls have been denied access to secondary education for five years under Taliban rule. The agency calls for immediate restoration of educational rights.
- About 2.4 million Afghan girls are excluded from secondary education
- UNESCO describes the ban as a grave violation of fundamental rights
- Afghanistan is the only country where girls and women are formally banned from secondary and higher education
- Progress made over two decades has been reversed since the Taliban took power
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▼Source Claims Check
High ConsensusAll 3 publishers report consistent facts across 3 key claims.
| Claim | Status | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number Of Girls Excluded From Secondary Education | Broad Agreement | 2.4 million Afghan girls denied access to secondary school since 2018 | |
| Unesco's Stance On The Ban | Broad Agreement | UNESCO calls for immediate restoration of education rights as a basic human right | |
| Taliban's Actions Post-takeover | Broad Agreement | Banned girls from secondary schools and later extended restrictions to higher education, employment… |
Number Of Girls Excluded From Secondary Education
Broad Agreement2.4 million Afghan girls denied access to secondary school since 2018
Unesco's Stance On The Ban
Broad AgreementUNESCO calls for immediate restoration of education rights as a basic human right
Taliban's Actions Post-takeover
Broad AgreementBanned girls from secondary schools and later extended restrictions to higher education, employment, and other sectors.
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The Paris-based U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization described the continued exclusion as a grave violation of fundamental rights. Hoda Jaberian, UNESCO's program coordinator for education in emergencies, emphasized that this is not a temporary interruption but nearly an entire secondary school cycle lost for these girls.
UNESCO renewed its call for the immediate and unconditional restoration of girls' and women's right to secondary and higher education, stating it is a basic human right with no substitute. The Taliban barred girls from secondary schools shortly after taking power in August 2021 and later extended restrictions to higher education, employment, and other sectors.
The ban has reversed two decades of progress in Afghan education. In 2001, access to schooling for girls was severely limited, but by 2021 nearly 1 million girls were enrolled in secondary education. UNESCO has been supporting education in Afghanistan through community-based programs and literacy classes, often held in homes with the knowledge of authorities.
The Taliban has maintained the ban despite international appeals from the United Nations, humanitarian groups, human rights advocates, and several Islamic countries, insisting it is a domestic matter. The restrictions have led to significant setbacks in education and economic development within Afghanistan.
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