At least 2.4 million Afghan girls have been prevented from attending secondary school since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Afghanistan remains the only country in the world where girls and women are formally prohibited from secondary and higher education, UNESCO said.
The agency warned that the continuing restrictions could have serious long-term consequences for Afghanistan, including deeper poverty, reduced economic opportunities and a growing shortage of qualified female teachers.
UNESCO estimates that the education ban could force about 600,000 Afghan women out of the workforce by 2066, while cumulative income losses could reach approximately $9.6 billion. The restrictions may also increase the risk of early marriage among girls.
Girls' Education Restrictions
After the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021, the group initially assured the international community that women would continue to have access to education.
However, girls were barred from secondary schools in March 2022, while women were prohibited from attending universities in December 2022. Although the Taliban described the measures as temporary, the restrictions remain in place.
The Taliban also impose restrictions on women's employment and movement, saying their policies are based on their interpretation of Islamic law and Afghan culture.
Shortage of Female Teachers
UNESCO warned that the restrictions on women's education could further worsen Afghanistan's shortage of female teachers.
The agency estimates that the country could face a shortage of more than 11,000 qualified female teachers by 2030.
UNESCO education programme coordinator Hoda Jaberian said many teachers had left the country, while others who remained in the education system had been prevented from continuing to teach.
She added that the decision to prevent women from teaching boys had removed many qualified educators from the system, leaving some boys to be taught by unqualified male teachers or without teachers altogether.
Wider Education Crisis
Afghanistan is already facing a severe education crisis. UNESCO estimates that more than 90% of 10-year-olds cannot read a simple text, while the country's national literacy rate stands at about 37%.
Many schools are overcrowded and poorly equipped, with nearly half lacking adequate water, sanitation or heating facilities.
UNESCO also said more than 2 million primary-school-age children are out of school for reasons unrelated to the restrictions on girls and women.
The return of around 3 million people to Afghanistan in 2025, either voluntarily or through forced returns, has placed additional pressure on the country's already strained education system.
Natural disasters have further disrupted schooling. Since 2021, earthquakes and floods have forced the closure of around 1,000 schools, according to UNESCO.
The agency warned that continued restrictions on girls' and women's education could leave Afghanistan facing decades of lost human potential and further economic hardship.
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