KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) called on the international community to remain fully mobilized in demanding the unconditional reopening of schools and universities for all Afghan women and girls.
In a statement marking the third anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power on August 15, UNESCO emphasized that the right to education is non-negotiable and cannot be compromised.
“Three years after the de facto authorities took power, Afghanistan stands out as the only country in the world where secondary and higher education is strictly forbidden to girls and women,” the UN agency said.
“In just three years, the de facto authorities have almost wiped out two decades of steady progress for education in Afghanistan, and the future of an entire generation is now in jeopardy,” it added.
During the three years of Taliban rule, Afghanistan has become one of the most oppressive countries for women and girls. The regime has severely restricted their movements, denying them access to education, employment, social mobility, and other fundamental freedoms.
UN experts, rights groups, and activists all say that the Taliban’s oppression of women and girls amounts to a system of apartheid, designed to deliberately subjugate them based solely on their gender.
UNESCO says that at least 1.4 million girls have been intentionally denied access to secondary education since 2021, marking an increase of 300,000 compared to last year’s report.
According to the organization, a total of 2.5 million girls in Afghanistan are now deprived of their right to education, including those who were already out of school before the Taliban’s ban. This represents 80% of Afghan girls of school age.
“Today, Afghanistan is the only country in the world to prohibit access to education for girls over the age of 12 and for women. This situation must concern us all; the right to education cannot be negotiated or compromised,” said Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General.
“The international community must remain fully mobilized to obtain the unconditional reopening of schools and universities to Afghan girls and women,” she added.
The UN agency also highlights a significant decline in enrollment for both girls in primary education and men in higher education since the Taliban’s return to power. It warns that this trend will lead to a rapid shortage of graduates, exacerbating the country’s development challenges.
UNESCO noted that while the agency is actively working to reach girls through alternative learning methods, such as distance education via radio and television, it emphasizes that nothing can replace face-to-face classroom education.
