2.4 million girls denied school education in Afghanistan: UNESCO

Approximately 2.4 million girls in Afghanistan have been deprived of secondary education since the Taliban's return to power in 2021, UNESCO said on Tuesday.

The UN agency believes that five years after the Taliban's return to power, the denial of education to so many girls will have a long-lasting negative impact on society and the economy.

According to UNESCO, the number of girls deprived of secondary education in Afghanistan has increased by about 200,000 this year. If the ban on girls' secondary education remains in place, the total number could rise from 2.4 million to nearly 4 million by 2030.

Expressing concern over the situation, Hoda Zabarian, coordinator of UNESCO's 'Education in Emergencies' programme, said, "Afghanistan is the only country in the world where girls and women are formally banned from secondary and higher education. Five years is not a temporary pause in a child's education. This clearly equals almost an entire phase of secondary education."

'Gender apartheid'

In August 2021, the Taliban seized power as US and NATO forces withdrew from Afghanistan after two decades of war. Though the Taliban initially assured the international community that women would be allowed to continue their education, secondary schooling for girls was banned in March 2022. Women were also barred from universities in December of that year. Both decisions were described as 'temporary' measures at the time, but the Taliban has yet to lift them.

The Taliban authorities claim they respect women's rights based on their own interpretation of Islamic law and Afghan culture.

The bans are not limited to education. Women also face severe restrictions on employment and movement. Access to public parks, gyms and beauty salons is also prohibited for women in Afghanistan.

The UN has described the comprehensive ban as 'gender apartheid'. Despite five years in power, only one country, Russia, has formally recognised the Taliban administration.