- 1.4 million girls have been excluded from school since the Taliban took power
Since the Taliban's recent takeover three years ago, at least 1.4 million girls in Afghanistan have been affected by a school ban starting from the seventh grade, according to a UNESCO report. This is around 300,000 more girls than in the count from April 2023, the UN organization reported.
"Afghanistan is now the only country in the world that denies women and girls over 12 years old access to education," says UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. "The international community must continue to push with all its might for the unconditional reopening of schools and universities for Afghan girls and women."
Taliban fail to keep promises
In the past, the Taliban had announced that they only intended to suspend education for older girls until certain unspecified conditions were met. Public statements by some high-ranking Taliban officials had given hope for the education of women. However, no progress has been made in this regard. "In just three years, the de facto authorities have almost undone two decades of steady progress in education in Afghanistan and have put the future of an entire generation at risk," the report said.
Development of the country long-term threatened
Another problem is the Taliban's ban on female teachers teaching at boys' schools, which exacerbates the already existing teacher shortage. Since 2021, the number of students enrolled in universities has also decreased by 53 percent, UNESCO writes. The lack of university graduates will further exacerbate the development problems in the country with around 40 million inhabitants.
After the collapse of the US-backed government in Kabul, the Taliban recaptured the Afghan capital on August 15, 2021. They declared an "Islamic Emirate" and have since been implementing their strict interpretation of Islam with draconian laws and restricting women's rights. Afghanistan is the only country in the world that bans girls and women from attending secondary schools and universities.
- Despite the Taliban's initial promises to reopen education for older girls under specific conditions, the other promise of allowing female teachers in boys' schools and ensuring the continuation of higher education for women has not been kept.
- The Taliban's ban on education for girls and women beyond sixth grade, along with the prohibition of female teachers in boys' schools, has contributed significantly to the other issue of a severe teacher shortage in Afghanistan, potentially leading to long-term development challenges.