Alarming Decline in Education for Women and Girls in Afghanistan Post-Taliban Return

A recent report from UNESCO and UNICEF reveals that since the Taliban’s return to power, the participation of girls and women in educational institutions in Afghanistan has drastically fallen, nearing zero.

The Participation of Women in Higher Education Has Reached Zero

New findings from UNESCO and UNICEF indicate that the educational situation for girls and women in Afghanistan is unprecedentedly declining towards zero. According to a report released on October 21, the number of female students has plummeted from nearly 119,000 in 2019 to effectively zero by 2024.

Decline in the Number of Female Teachers and Male Students

These two international organizations have warned that this situation severely endangers the country’s skilled workforce in critical sectors such as health and education. The number of female teachers has also decreased significantly, dropping from 2,600 to just 134. Furthermore, there is a notable decline in the interest of young men in pursuing higher education, with only 208,000 male students enrolling in universities this year.

Factors Pressuring the Educational System

Unemployment and social despair have driven many school graduates to seek dangerous migration opportunities to neighboring countries like Iran. Additionally, budget shortfalls in the education sector and climate crises have exacerbated this educational crisis. Educational experts express serious concerns that the continued deterioration of the situation will not only perpetuate the exclusion of women from education but also degrade the educational quality for men, ultimately jeopardizing the human resources and future of the country.