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UNESCO: 2.4 Million Afghan Girls Still Barred From Secondary School

UNESCO warns the exclusion poses deep social and economic harm that could swell to nearly four million by 2030 if Taliban policies remain in place.

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Women sit inside a tent while taking refuge with others following the deadly earthquake in Bambakot village, Dera Noor district, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, September 6, 2025. REUTERS/Sayed Hassib/File photo
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Overview

  • UNESCO said Tuesday that about 2.4 million Afghan girls remain excluded from secondary education, an increase of roughly 200,000 from last year.
  • The bans began after the Taliban returned to power in 2021, with girls barred from secondary schools in March 2022 and women excluded from universities later that year.
  • The U.N. agency links the restrictions to falling literacy and a looming shortage of female teachers, estimating a shortfall of more than 11,000 qualified women teachers by 2030.
  • UNESCO estimates the education ban could cause long-term economic damage, projecting about $9.6 billion in lost income by 2066 and the possible exit of 600,000 women from the workforce.
  • Some community-based classes and exile virtual programmes offer limited learning, but UN agencies say those options are fragile, cannot scale to replace formal schooling, and leave families facing emotional and financial strain.