Taliban barred 2.4 mn Afghan girls from school since 2021: UNESCO, Pg14

Key Highlights:

• The Taliban have barred an estimated 2.4 million Afghan girls from secondary education since regaining power in Afghanistan in 2021.
• UNESCO reported this figure, highlighting that Afghanistan is the only country with a formal ban on secondary and higher education for girls and women.
• The ban reverses two decades of educational progress in Afghanistan.

Detailed Insights:

• The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in August 2021, following the withdrawal of U.S. and allied forces.
• Despite initial promises of respecting women's rights, the Taliban closed secondary schools for girls in March 2022 and banned women from universities in December 2022.
• This exclusion is part of broader restrictions on women's employment, movement, and public life.
• UNESCO estimates the ban could lead to $9.6 billion in cumulative income losses by 2066 and increase the risk of early marriage.
• The United Nations and other international bodies have condemned these policies, with the UN describing them as "gender apartheid."
• The restrictions are also projected to cause a deficit of over 11,000 qualified female teachers by 2030.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Taliban: An Islamist fundamentalist political and military organization currently governing Afghanistan.
• UNESCO: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which promotes peace and security through international cooperation in education, science, culture, communication, and information.
• Right to Education: A fundamental human right recognized by international instruments such as Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.