More Than 2 Million Afghan Girls Denied Secondary Education, Says UN
More than 2 million adolescent girls in Afghanistan are being denied access to secondary education, the United Nations said on the International Day of Education.
More than 2 million adolescent girls in Afghanistan are being denied access to secondary education, the United Nations said on the International Day of Education.
The agency warned that the continued restrictions will undermine both the future of girls and the country’s development and stability.
UNICEF and UNESCO said in a joint statement Saturday that Afghanistan is the only country in the world where secondary and higher education for women and girls are effectively banned.
The agencies called for urgent, collective action and greater international investment in education to ensure what they described as full, safe and inclusive access to learning for all.
The UN General Assembly has designated January 24 as the International Day of Education.
For nearly four and a half years, secondary schools have remained closed to girls in Afghanistan, and women and girls are still barred from attending universities. At the same time, the higher education system has been weakening amid university closures and the migration or marginalisation of lecturers and students.
Suhyon Kim, head of UNESCO’s office in Afghanistan, said: “When girls are denied access to education, a nation pays the price. Strengthening foundational learning and supporting female teachers are vital investments for Afghanistan’s recovery and resilience.”
Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF’s representative in Afghanistan, said: “Afghanistan urgently needs female teachers, nurses, community health workers and doctors. In a situation where women can only be treated by women, who will care for sick girls and women in the future if girls are deprived of education today?”
The agencies urged immediate action to protect the right to education in Afghanistan.
