Publication
Banned from education: A review of the right to education in Afghanistan
The alarming reality of the right to education in Afghanistan
The report is a follow-up to the International Conference on Afghan Women and Girls held on 7 March 2025 at UNESCO on the occasion of International World Women’s Day. The conference underscored UNESCO's commitment to a human rights-based approach—centered on the principle of ‘do no harm’—and emphasized that solutions must be led by Afghan women themselves.
It examines the impact of recent regulatory and policy shifts on education in Afghanistan since the Taliban took power in August 2021. The systematic restrictions on girls and women have made Afghanistan the only country in the world where girls are barred from education beyond the primary level. As of 2025, 1.5 million young girls and women remain out of school.
Drawing on extensive desk research and interviews, the report analyzes the changing legal and institutional landscape of education in Afghanistan. It serves as a key resource for advocacy and awareness-raising, highlighting urgent challenges and pathways for meaningful action.
