UNESCO Reports Taliban Prevented 1.4 Million Girls from Attending School
Since reclaiming Afghanistan, the Taliban has intentionally prevented 1.4 million girls from receiving secondary education, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Afghanistan is the only country in the world where girls are prohibited from attending secondary schools and universities.
The Taliban regained power in August 2021, two decades after being removed by a U.S.-led coalition following the September 11 attacks orchestrated by Osama bin Laden from Afghanistan.
Under their interpretation of Islamic law, or sharia, the Taliban believes that girls should not be educated beyond the sixth grade.
UNESCO reported that 1.4 million girls have been kept from accessing secondary education, an increase of 300,000 compared to their previous survey in April 2023.
“Adding the girls who were already out of school before the bans were enforced, nearly 2.5 million girls in Afghanistan are now deprived of their right to education, comprising 80% of Afghan school-age girls,” UNESCO added.
The agency noted that primary education for both genders had also declined since the Taliban’s return to power, with 1.1 million fewer girls and boys attending school.
UNESCO expressed concerns that the Taliban’s actions had undone two decades of progress in education in Afghanistan.
‘Entire Generation Is Now in Jeopardy’
According to UNESCO, “The future of an entire generation is now in jeopardy.”
The decrease in primary school enrollment was in part due to the Taliban prohibiting female teachers from educating boys and some parents withdrawing their children from school due to financial constraints or needing them to work.
The agency warned, “UNESCO is alarmed by the harmful consequences of this growing dropout rate, which could lead to an increase in child labor and early marriages.”
UNESCO continues to operate in Afghanistan and shared details on their website in June of two teachers from Takhar province who underwent social and emotional learning training and implemented it in their primary school classes.
Amnesty International’s Samira Hamidi remarked, “Three years on, the lack of concrete measures to address the human rights crisis in Afghanistan is a global disgrace.”
On the Taliban’s third anniversary of seizing power, they showcased their military might at Bagram Air Base, a facility originally constructed by the Soviet Union and later used by Russian and American forces during their presence in Afghanistan.
In a speech, Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada affirmed, “The system is Islamic and Sharia-based, Sharia is being implemented. As long as we are alive, we will uphold and apply Allah’s faith and sharia upon ourselves and others.”
The Taliban maintain that they respect women’s rights in accordance with their interpretation of Islamic law and Afghan traditions.
In 2014, Malala Yousafzai won the Nobel Peace Prize for her advocacy in ensuring girls in Afghanistan and Pakistan have access to education.
Malala survived an assassination attempt by a Taliban gunman and continues her work from exile in England.
The Taliban did not respond to requests for comments on the UNESCO data.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
