UNICEF: 400,000 More Girls in Afghanistan Barred from School as Ban Enters Fourth Year

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – As the new school year begins in Afghanistan, nearly 400,000 additional girls have been denied their right to education, bringing the total number of out-of-school girls to 2.2 million, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The announcement comes as the country marks the third anniversary of the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education beyond sixth grade — a decision that continues to draw international condemnation.