Five years after the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, around 2.4 million girls are still barred from secondary education. This situation is erasing the progress made over decades and keeping a whole generation of young women out of classrooms.
Currently, Afghanistan stands as the only nation that officially prohibits girls and women from pursuing education beyond primary school. UNESCO recently called for the “immediate and unconditional” reinstatement of these rights.
The United Nations agency highlighted that the Taliban’s policies extend beyond the educational realm. Women have been prohibited from most paid jobs and public roles, and they can only travel with a male guardian.
“Women are being erased from public life, and as new generations of girls grow up uneducated, their future becomes increasingly bleak,” UNESCO expressed in a statement.
The Taliban returned to power on August 15, 2021, as U.S. and NATO forces pulled out after two decades. They quickly prohibited girls from attending secondary schools and later tightened restrictions on universities, jobs, and other aspects of public life.
Despite persistent pressure from various organizations and nations, the Taliban has remained steadfast in its stance, viewing these restrictions as a domestic issue, according to the Associated Press.
The reversal of educational advances for Afghan girls over the past two decades has been striking. In 2001, girls’ schooling was severely limited, but by 2021, nearly a million were enrolled in secondary education. Now, five years later, 2.4 million are excluded.
“Five years is not just a temporary disruption in a child’s education,” remarked Hoda Javelian, UNESCO’s emergency education program coordinator, during a video conference on Tuesday. “This is, well, essentially a full cycle of middle school.”
UNESCO cautioned that denying education to girls, while simultaneously restricting women’s work, could deepen Afghanistan’s severe economic challenges. Nearly half of the population lives below the poverty line, and without education and job opportunities, women’s ability to support their families and the economy is severely limited.
The agency also noted that excluding girls from education might negatively impact their mental and physical well-being, increasing the risk of early marriage.
This situation can also affect boys. UNESCO pointed out that the Taliban’s ban on female teachers instructing male students is worsening teacher shortages and affecting education quality.
With formal education unavailable for women and girls, UNESCO is focusing on community-based education, literacy initiatives, skills development, and psychosocial support to help women and girls continue learning.
Up to now, nearly 70,000 individuals have engaged in UNESCO’s programs, with women making up 73% of the participants. Some literacy and skills sessions are being held in community settings or at the homes of facilitators familiar with local authorities. Over 1,000 literacy promoters are involved, most trained by UNESCO and its partners.
UNESCO indicated that recent studies suggest these literacy and skills programs are aiding in increasing household incomes and improving living conditions. However, these efforts are, of course, no substitute for formal education.
“Afghan girls and women have the right to study, work, travel freely, and shape their futures,” UNESCO emphasized, urging that, “The world must not turn a blind eye until their rights are restored.”
While calling for the education ban to end, UNESCO plans to continue collaborating with local communities and partners to ensure alternative opportunities for women and girls in Afghanistan. “We continue to call for the immediate and unconditional restoration of girls’ and women’s rights to secondary and tertiary education,” Javelian stated on Tuesday. “This is non-negotiable. It’s a fundamental human right, and there’s simply no alternative.”
