Taliban Ban Girls from School in Afghanistan
· news
UN: 2.4 Million Girls Barred from School in Afghanistan
According to UNESCO, nearly 2.4 million girls in Afghanistan have been denied access to secondary education since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. This figure has increased by about 200,000 since last year and is projected to reach nearly four million by 2030 if the ban remains in place.
The exclusion of these girls from education has far-reaching implications. As Hoda Jaberian, UNESCO’s program coordinator for education in emergencies, notes, five years without secondary schooling can have devastating long-term consequences for individuals, families, and communities. The effects will be felt for generations to come.
The Taliban initially assured the international community that women would continue studying after their return to power. However, they later justified the ban as a temporary measure in line with Islamic law and Afghan culture. In reality, restricting girls’ access to education undermines the Taliban’s legitimacy while perpetuating poverty and inequality.
Afghanistan’s economy will also suffer significantly due to the exclusion of women from secondary and higher education. UNESCO estimates that excluding women could push around 600,000 women out of the workforce by 2066, resulting in cumulative income losses of $9.6 billion and increasing the risk of early marriage.
The ban is exacerbating a shortage of female teachers, with over 11,000 qualified teachers expected to be needed by 2030. Furthermore, more than two million primary school children are already out of school for other reasons, while nearly half of schools lack basic amenities such as water and sanitation.
In addition to the girls’ education ban, Afghanistan’s educational system is struggling to cope with the influx of returnees from neighboring countries – over three million people returned in 2025 alone. This has put a strain on the already fragile infrastructure of Afghan schools.
The international community must not stand idly by as millions of girls are denied an education. We must hold governments accountable for their actions and support efforts to restore girls’ and women’s right to secondary and higher education. UNESCO’s call for immediate action cannot be ignored, and it is our responsibility to act.
In the face of such a daunting challenge, it may seem overwhelming, but we must not give up. By supporting community-based education programs and advocating for policy changes, we can create a ripple effect that will ultimately benefit Afghan girls and their families. The future of Afghanistan’s children depends on it.
Reader Views
- EKEditor K. Wells · editor
The Taliban's ban on girls' education is more than just a human rights issue - it's a catastrophic economic one. The estimated cumulative income losses of $9.6 billion by 2066 are staggering, but what's often overlooked is the opportunity cost: the potential for Afghan women to contribute significantly to their country's GDP through entrepreneurship and employment. To mitigate this loss, international aid should focus on vocational training programs that cater specifically to women, equipping them with skills to participate in the workforce despite the Taliban's ban.
- ADAnalyst D. Park · policy analyst
The Taliban's education policy is a ticking time bomb for Afghanistan's future. The statistics are staggering, but what's equally concerning is the lack of economic incentives to reverse this trend. By excluding girls from secondary education, the Taliban is not only undermining their own legitimacy but also depriving the country of a future workforce that could have driven economic growth and development. A more nuanced approach would be to invest in vocational training and skills programs for women, providing them with alternatives to formal education and paving the way for their reintegration into the labor market.
- CMColumnist M. Reid · opinion columnist
The Taliban's blanket ban on girls' education is a self-inflicted wound that will haunt Afghanistan for generations. But what gets lost in the narrative of female exclusion is the crippling impact on the country's economic future. The loss of $9.6 billion in cumulative income by 2066 is staggering, but it doesn't account for the opportunity costs of wasted human potential. As the global community continues to decry this atrocity, we should also acknowledge that the Taliban's own legitimacy and influence will suffer as a result of their short-sighted policy.