UN Alarmed: Taliban Bans Deprive 1.4 Million Afghan Girls of Education

The Taliban have deprived 1.4 million Afghan girls of education through bans, making Afghanistan the only country with such restrictions. Since their 2021 takeover, they’ve blocked girls above sixth grade from schooling, citing Sharia law. UNESCO warns of severe impacts on education and future prospects for these girls.

The Taliban have deliberately deprived 1.4 million Afghan girls of schooling through bans, a UN agency reported Thursday. Afghanistan remains the only country in the world to ban female secondary and higher education.

Since seizing power in 2021, the Taliban has barred girls above sixth grade from attending school, claiming the restrictions align with their interpretation of Sharia law. Boys continue their education uninterrupted, and there are no indications of the bans being lifted to allow girls back into classrooms.

UNESCO indicates that, post-takeover, the number of girls denied secondary education has risen by 300,000, totaling 1.4 million. This figure grows annually as more girls reach the restricted age of 12. Adding those already out of school before the bans, nearly 2.5 million Afghan school-age girls are now deprived of their right to education.