UN Warns Afghanistan’s Education Ban Puts 2.2 Million Girls at Risk

On World Education Day, the United Nations warned that Afghanistan’s ban on girls’ education threatens millions, undermining development, stability, and future recovery.

The United Nations says 2.2 million adolescent girls in Afghanistan are currently denied access to secondary education, calling the situation deeply damaging for the country’s future.

In a joint statement marking World Education Day, UNICEF and UNESCO said Afghanistan remains the only country where secondary and higher education for girls and women is entirely banned.

The UN General Assembly designated January 24 as World Education Day to highlight education as a fundamental human right and a driver of peace and sustainable development.

Since the restrictions were imposed, Afghanistan’s education system has steadily weakened, with universities closing, teachers leaving the country, and academic capacity sharply declining.

UNICEF and UNESCO urged urgent, collective action and increased international investment to ensure safe, inclusive, and equitable access to learning for all Afghan children.

Soohyun Kim, head of UNESCO in Afghanistan, warned that denying girls education forces an entire nation to pay the price, stressing the importance of supporting female teachers.

UNICEF Representative Tajudeen Oyewale said Afghanistan urgently needs educated women, especially in health and public services, warning of long-term consequences if girls remain excluded.

The UN agencies called for immediate steps to protect education as a fundamental right, warning that continued restrictions will deepen Afghanistan’s humanitarian and development crisis.

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