UNICEF urges reopening of schools for girls in Afghanistan

UNICEF urged Afghanistan on Thursday to reopen schools for girls, saying prolonged education restrictions are harming their future and dignity.

UNICEF’s regional director for South Asia, Sanjay Wijesekera, has said the time has come for girls’ schools in Afghanistan to reopen.

Writing on X on Thursday, March 26, he said girls in Afghanistan have waited far too long and that the return of school should bring hope to everyone.

“It is time for school doors to reopen because hope, dignity and the future begin with education,” he said. UNICEF has repeatedly stressed that education is a basic right and a foundation for the future of children and for the long-term development of society.

International organizations have also warned that prolonged exclusion from education could have lasting effects on girls’ health, safety and future employment opportunities.

The appeal comes as Afghanistan faces one of the world’s deepest humanitarian crises, with millions dependent on aid, rising poverty and widespread uncertainty over the country’s future.

Since the Taliban returned to power, girls have remained barred from secondary schools and universities, leaving a generation of young women cut off from formal education.

The restrictions have also gone beyond classrooms, as many women continue to face limits on employment in public institutions, NGOs and other sectors, worsening household hardship.

Aid groups say the combined impact of school, university and job restrictions has not only harmed women’s rights but also weakened Afghanistan’s social and economic recovery.

UNICEF’s renewed call adds to growing international pressure on the Taliban, but for many Afghan girls, the wait for education and opportunity continues with no clear end in sight.

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