Afghanistan: UNESCO condemns Taliban decision to ban women from higher education and calls for its immediate revocation

UNESCO strongly condemns the decision by the Taliban to ban women from attending universities, which comes  fifteen months after excluding girls from secondary school. This is a profound violation of human dignity and the fundamental right to education. It will carry irreversible and severe consequences for the social, cultural and economic development of Afghanistan. There is no possible advancement for the country when half the population is not allowed to pursue an education and participate in public life. 

The girls and women of Afghanistan have great aspirations for their people and country and they are courageously claiming their right to education. Girls’ and women’s access to education correlates with poverty reduction, improved child and maternal health, and lower rates of child marriage.

With support from UNESCO and the international community, Afghanistan witnessed enormous progress in education between 2001 and 2018. The number of women in higher education increased almost 20 times from around 5,000 in 2001 to around 90,000 in 2019.  Women acceded to positions of responsibility, from medicine to law to journalism and politics, playing an influential role in transforming the country.

No other country in the world bars women and girls from receiving an education. This decision new decision is a regression that imperils the entire future of Afghanistan and further isolates the country, at a time when over 90% of the population is living in poverty. A country’s most valuable resource is its people - education for all its citizens is the only way for the country to reach a just, peaceful and prosperous future.