UNICEF: More Than 2.6 Million Afghan Girls Barred From Secondary Education
DID Press: Five years after the Taliban returned to power, restrictions on girls’ education in Afghanistan have developed into a crisis extending beyond the education sector, with consequences for the country’s human capital, economy, health services and social development. UNICEF said in August 2026 that more than 2.6 million girls have been denied secondary education since 2021, while separate estimates show that 3.8 million girls aged 7 to 18 were out of school in 2024.
The findings are part of a statistical and media analysis by DID Press examining the effects of five years of restrictions on girls’ education in Afghanistan.
2.6 Million Girls and Five Years Outside Secondary Education
Restrictions on girls’ education began in September 2021, when girls were prevented from continuing their studies beyond primary school. In December 2022, women were also barred from universities.
According to UNICEF, more than 2.6 million girls have been denied secondary education since 2021. The agency said Afghanistan remains the only country in the world where secondary and higher education is effectively closed to girls and women.
UNICEF’s 2026 analysis also estimates that 3.8 million girls aged 7 to 18 were out of school in 2024, including more than 2.6 million adolescent girls. These figures include girls affected by poverty, insecurity, displacement and other barriers in addition to restrictions on secondary education.
A Generation Losing Educational Opportunities
The issue extends beyond girls who are currently outside classrooms. Each year, another cohort reaches the age at which secondary education would normally begin.
A UNICEF analysis published in April 2026 estimated that if current restrictions remain in place until 2030, more than two million additional girls could be directly affected by the ban on education beyond primary school.
Separately, UNESCO warned in 2025 that more than four million girls could be affected by 2030 if the restrictions continue. The difference between the figures reflects differences in definitions and measurement methods; they should therefore not be treated as a single estimate.
Decline in Female Teachers
The consequences are also visible in the education workforce.
UNICEF says the number of female teachers in basic education fell by more than 9 percent, from nearly 73,000 in 2022 to around 66,000 in 2024. The agency estimates that continued restrictions could leave Afghanistan with up to 20,000 fewer female teachers and 5,400 fewer female health workers by 2030.
The figures point to a potential cycle: girls who are excluded from secondary and higher education have fewer opportunities to enter professional fields, while schools and health facilities may face a shrinking pool of qualified women in the years ahead.
Economic Cost: $84 Million a Year
The impact is not limited to education and social indicators.
UNICEF’s Cost of Inaction analysis estimates that restrictions on girls’ education and women’s participation in the labour force cost Afghanistan at least $84 million a year in lost economic output. That is equivalent to roughly 0.5 percent of the country’s 2023 GDP.
UNICEF estimates that the losses accumulate for as long as the restrictions remain in place.
A Sharp Contrast With the Pre-2021 Period
The current situation contrasts with substantial expansion in girls’ access to education during the two decades before 2021.
According to UNESCO, the number of girls enrolled in primary education increased from almost zero in 2001 to about 2.5 million by 2018. By 2021, four out of every 10 primary-school students were girls. Female literacy also increased from about 17 percent to nearly 30 percent over the period.
Female participation in higher education also expanded significantly. UNESCO says the number of women in higher education rose from about 5,000 in 2001 to more than 100,000 in 2021, before the suspension of university education for women.
Community-Based Education: Alternative, Not Full Replacement
Community-based education has become one of the remaining pathways for children excluded from formal schooling.
UNICEF reported that in 2025, 442,000 out-of-school children participated in community-based education programmes, with girls accounting for 66 percent of participants.
These programmes provide access to learning for children facing barriers such as poverty, insecurity, distance and exclusion from formal schools. However, they do not constitute a full replacement for formal secondary and higher education.
The Numbers at a Glance
| Indicator | Figure |
|---|---|
| Girls denied secondary education since 2021 | More than 2.6 million |
| Girls aged 7–18 out of school in 2024 | 3.8 million |
| Adolescent girls out of school in 2024 | More than 2.6 million |
| Decline in female basic-education teachers, 2022–2024 | More than 9% |
| Female basic-education teachers in 2024 | About 66,000 |
| Estimated annual economic loss | $84 million |
| Female teachers potentially lost by 2030 | Up to 20,000 |
| Female health workers potentially lost by 2030 | 5,400 |
| Children reached through community-based education in 2025 | 442,000 |
| Girls’ share of community-based education participants | 66% |
The Crisis Extends Beyond the Present
The significance of the data lies not only in the number of girls currently outside school, but also in the cumulative effect of prolonged exclusion.
Each year that a girl remains outside school represents more than a missed academic year. It can also reduce the future pool of women able to become teachers, doctors, nurses, researchers, civil servants and other professionals.
UNICEF has warned that the restrictions could therefore contribute to shortages of qualified women in both education and health services, while its economic analysis links the restrictions to lost productivity and weaker human-capital development.
The available data therefore show that the consequences of Afghanistan’s restrictions on girls’ education extend beyond the classroom, affecting education systems, the labour market, economic output and the future availability of female professionals.