Post by UNICEF

Over a million girls in Afghanistan have been denied the right to learn since a ban was imposed on their secondary education in 2021. Now the country risks losing up to 20,000 women teachers and 5,400 healthcare workers by 2030 as these restrictions on education and women’s employment continue. The impact is particularly severe in healthcare, where societal context often prevents women from receiving medical services from men. This means that the declining number of female health workers will directly limit maternal, newborn and child health services. If the ban persists until 2030, over two million girls will have been deprived of their right to education beyond primary school. Despite restrictions, UNICEF continues to support children’s education in Afghanistan. In 2025, over 3.7 million children in public schools received emergency support; 442,000 children – 66% of whom are girls – benefited from community-based learning initiatives, and 232 schools were built or rehabilitated. As another cohort of girls loses the chance to learn, UNICEF calls for urgent action to restore girls' rights to secondary and higher education and sustain investment in primary education. Together, these actions are essential to Afghanistan's health, education and economic future. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/d9Q96rwe