According to UNESCO, an estimated 2.4 million girls in Afghanistan are still barred from secondary education, five years after the Taliban’s takeover. This organisation emphasizes the importance of restoring educational rights for Afghan girls, stating that the lack of access constitutes a serious infringement on their rights.

Hoda Jaberian, UNESCO’s programme coordinator for education in emergencies, remarked during a video news conference that Afghanistan is the only nation in the world where girls and women face formal bans on both secondary and higher education. She stated, “Five years is not a temporary interruption in a child’s education. It is clearly almost an entire secondary school cycle.”

Jaberian reiterated the need for immediate and unconditional restoration of educational rights for girls and women, describing education as a basic human right. She emphasized that there is no substitute for this fundamental necessity.

Impact of Taliban’s Rule on Women’s Education

The Taliban gained control of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, following the withdrawal of US and NATO forces after two decades of conflict. Shortly after their return to power, the Taliban prohibited girls from attending secondary schools. The restrictions later extended to higher education, employment, and other facets of public life, effectively sidelining women and girls.

Despite numerous appeals from various organisations, including the United Nations and several humanitarian and human rights groups, the Taliban has maintained these bans, citing them as domestic matters. Jaberian pointed out that these restrictions are reversing the educational advancements achieved over the last two decades.

In 2001, access to education for girls was severely limited, but by 2021, nearly 1 million girls were enrolled in secondary schools in Afghanistan. Jaberian remarked on the considerable progress made, stating, “Afghanistan had made significant strides in expanding girls’ access to education. However, much of that progress has now been completely reversed.”

UNESCO’s Community-Based Education Initiatives

UNESCO has focused its efforts on providing educational opportunities through community-based initiatives, literacy programmes, and skills development projects within Afghanistan. These efforts have included holding classes in community spaces and often within the homes of literacy facilitators, with necessary approvals from authorities.

With over 1,000 literacy facilitators trained through UNESCO and its partners, the organisation continues to navigate the restrictive environment to ensure that educational pathways remain available. Jaberian highlighted, “While the restriction remains, we cannot abandon Afghan learners.” The focus remains on collaborating with communities to maintain access to education.

UNESCO’s recent appeal underscores the urgency of addressing the barriers faced by millions of Afghan girls who are still excluded from secondary education. The agency aims to sustain community-level educational efforts while advocating for the immediate restoration of girls’ and women’s rights to educational access.

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