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The Taliban's oppressive regime has dealt a severe blow to the education of Afghan girls, depriving at least 1.4 million of them of their fundamental right to secondary schooling. Since seizing power in 2021, the Taliban have enforced a strict ban on female education above the sixth grade, citing their interpretation of Sharia law as the justification for this discriminatory policy.
The Taliban’s oppressive regime has dealt a severe blow to the education of Afghan girls, depriving at least 1.4 million of them of their fundamental right to secondary schooling. Since seizing power in 2021, the Taliban have enforced a strict ban on female education above the sixth grade, citing their interpretation of Sharia law as the justification for this discriminatory policy.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has sounded the alarm, revealing the staggering impact of this ban. According to their data, the number of girls denied access to secondary education has increased by 300,000 since April 2023, with more girls reaching the age limit of 12 every year. When factoring in the girls who were already out of school before the bans were introduced, the total number of Afghan school-age girls deprived of their right to education reaches an astounding 2.5 million, representing a staggering 80% of the country’s female student population.
The consequences of this deliberate deprivation extend beyond the realm of education. UNESCO has warned that the alarming dropout rate could lead to a surge in child labor and early marriage, further jeopardizing the futures of these young girls. The Taliban’s actions have effectively wiped out two decades of steady progress in education, leaving the future of an entire generation in peril.
The impact on primary education has also been devastating. Since the Taliban’s rise to power in August 2021, UNESCO data shows a decrease of 1.1 million girls and boys attending school. This sharp decline can be attributed to the Taliban’s decision to bar female teachers from teaching boys, as well as the lack of parental incentive to send their children to school in the face of an increasingly challenging economic environment.
As the Taliban celebrated their third year of rule at Bagram Air Base, they failed to acknowledge the country’s dire circumstances or offer any promises to alleviate the suffering of the Afghan people. Decades of conflict and instability have pushed millions of Afghans to the brink of hunger and starvation, with unemployment rates soaring.
The international community must take immediate action to address this humanitarian crisis and demand that the Taliban uphold the fundamental human rights of Afghan girls and women. Education is not only a basic right but also a crucial tool for empowerment, economic growth, and societal progress. By denying girls access to education, the Taliban are not only robbing them of their futures but also depriving Afghanistan of the potential contributions of an entire generation of female leaders, innovators, and change-makers.
