On August 15, 2024, the United Nations delivered a stark assessment of the Taliban's impact on education in Afghanistan, revealing that the current regime has "deliberately deprived" approximately 1.4 million girls of their right to education. This announcement, coinciding with the Taliban’s three-year mark in power, underscores the severe and worsening crisis facing Afghan girls and women.
The UN's educational and cultural agency, UNESCO, reported a troubling increase in the number of girls excluded from school. Since its last count in April 2023, an additional 300,000 girls have been barred from attending school. This escalation has led UNESCO to warn that the future of an entire generation of Afghan girls is now in jeopardy. The current situation has dramatically worsened compared to the pre-Taliban era, with 80% of Afghan school-age girls, totaling 2.5 million, now denied educational opportunities.
The Taliban's policies have systematically excluded girls from educational institutions beyond the sixth grade. The regime's justification rests on its interpretation of Islamic principles, despite no other Muslim-majority country imposing such restrictions. The ban on girls' education aligns with the Taliban's broader agenda, which has been described by the UN as "gender apartheid," reflecting severe restrictions on women's and girls' rights.
The impact of these policies extends beyond education. UNESCO has highlighted potential long-term consequences, including increased child labor and early marriage. With the number of primary school pupils dropping from 6.8 million in 2019 to 5.7 million in 2022, the Taliban’s educational restrictions have also led to a significant decrease in the number of female teachers. This has further exacerbated the crisis by removing critical incentives for families to send their daughters to school.
Enrollment in higher education has been similarly affected. Since the Taliban’s return to power, the number of university students has plummeted by 53%. This decline threatens Afghanistan’s future by creating a shortage of graduates qualified for skilled professions, potentially stunting the country’s development and exacerbating its socio-economic challenges.
UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay has urged the international community to maintain pressure on the Taliban to reverse its educational bans. She emphasized the need for "unconditional reopening of schools and universities to Afghan girls and women" to prevent further educational and developmental setbacks.
Despite international condemnation and calls for action, the Taliban administration remains unrecognized globally and continues to enforce its restrictive policies. The situation in Afghanistan thus remains precarious, with significant implications for the future of Afghan girls and the broader socio-economic landscape of the country.
