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Wednesday, 12 August 2026

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2.4 million Afghan girls lack access to secondary education

Five years after the Taliban's return, Afghanistan is the only country in the world prohibiting girls and women from attending secondary and higher education.

2.4 million Afghan girls lack access to secondary education
Photo: Abdulbasir Ilgor (VOA) · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

According to information from UNESCO, 2.4 million Afghan girls are deprived of access to secondary education. This figure was released five years after the Taliban regained power, a milestone that coincides with the implementation of severe restrictions on the education of women and girls in the country.

Afghanistan is currently characterized as the only country in the world where girls and women are prohibited from attending both secondary and higher education. These bans have raised widespread international concern, prompting debates about the human rights situation in the country.

In 2026, figures indicate that 200,000 more girls than in 2025 are without access to secondary education, bringing the total to 2.4 million. This increase raises worries about the future prospects for women's education in Afghanistan.

2.4 million Afghan girls lack access to secondary education
Photo: Rr016 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Representatives of international organizations continue to monitor the situation, warning of the long-term consequences of this educational exclusion. Analyses suggest that if the restrictions remain in place, around four million girls could be out of the education system in the coming years.

This information has been corroborated by various sources, including publications from international media, which reiterate the uniqueness of the situation in Afghanistan regarding women's education. This context creates a challenging landscape for the future of women in the country.