UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, has recently announced that over 2.6 million girls in Afghanistan have been deprived of their right to education in the past five years. The continuation of this ban has exposed them to greater risks, such as forced child marriage, exploitation, and gender-based violence. In a published report, the organization has called on the interim government to lift educational restrictions against girls so that they can return to school and university and reach their full potential. UNICEF has warned that the consequences of this ban are not limited to deprivation of education alone. According to UNICEF, out-of-school girls are more vulnerable to forced labor, child marriage, abuse, and gender-based violence. The report states that marriage before the age of 18 threatens girls' physical and mental health and increases the risk of pregnancy complications during childbirth. Children of young mothers are also at higher risk of death before the age of five and stunting due to malnutrition. The United Nations Children's Fund added that educational and work restrictions in Afghanistan could have widespread economic and social repercussions. The organization predicts that Afghanistan may lose 20,000 female teachers and 5,400 female health workers by 2030. It is also estimated that current restrictions could reduce the country's economic output by $84 million annually. UNICEF states that alongside efforts to reopen girls' schools, it supports community-based education, vocational training, primary education, and digital education programs in Afghanistan. Part of the report mentions that by 2025, UNICEF aims to provide educational materials and equipment to over four million children in public schools, community-based education programs, and emergency settings.

The Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund has announced that it is working to improve access for families in remote and underserved areas to maternal and newborn health services by supporting the provision of emergency reproductive health kits for pregnant women and mothers. The United Nations Population Fund has reported that many pregnant women and mothers in remote areas of Afghanistan face difficulties in accessing health services. This organization emphasized that it provides health services to pregnant women through mobile health teams in villages across Afghanistan and assists them during childbirth. With the support of the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund, mobile health teams are offering maternal and reproductive health services in areas with limited access to health centers. The report states that these teams also help meet the health needs of pregnant women and those who have recently given birth by distributing emergency reproductive health kits. These services, especially in areas where women must travel long distances to reach health centers, can enhance their access to prenatal and postnatal care and reduce the risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth. However, Afghanistan's healthcare system continues to face significant challenges, particularly in providing care during childbirth. Afghanistan remains one of the countries with a high maternal mortality rate.

The United Nations Women’s Division has recently announced that approximately 80% of young women in Afghanistan are deprived of education, employment, and vocational training due to restrictions. In a message posted on their X account, the organization called for support for the education and employment of women and girls in Afghanistan. The UN Women’s Division further emphasized that out of every ten people in Afghanistan, nine support girls' education. They added that Afghan women and girls want to learn, work, and have the right to choose. It was also stated that the future of women and girls should be in their own hands. This comes as the current government has not only imposed restrictions on women and girls over the past five years but has also deprived them of education. It is noteworthy that currently, girls above the sixth grade are barred from education, and young women are not allowed to attend university. Additionally, last week UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, stated that approximately 2.4 million girls in Afghanistan have been deprived of education over the past five years.

UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, has announced that during its support programs in Afghanistan, 67% of the 55,937 vulnerable children receiving educational support were girls. The organization has published a report on providing health and nutritional services to millions of children and supporting vulnerable families in Afghanistan. According to UNICEF's statistics, community-based education programs and the establishment of temporary educational facilities have assisted 55,937 vulnerable children in Afghanistan. The report states that girls make up 67% of these children, constituting the majority of those receiving this support. UNICEF emphasized in part of its report that these programs have been implemented for returning children and those who have dropped out of school—a group that faces even greater barriers to accessing educational opportunities amid existing restrictions on education. In terms of economic support for families, the cash transfer program for mothers and children has reached 65,162 families, benefiting a total of 576,279 individuals. This comes at a time when Afghanistan's educational system continues to face widespread challenges regarding infrastructure, equipment, and a shortage of teachers. In many remote areas, there are no schools, leaving many children, especially girls, deprived of education. Since the return of the interim government to power in August 2021, girls have been barred from education beyond primary school, and women have been excluded from university education. In addition to educational restrictions, women and girls also face limitations in employment, mobility, and participation in public life.

Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, has stated that women and girls in Afghanistan continue to bear the burden of deprivation of their rights, with their hopes and dreams for the future on hold. In a message posted on her X account, Ms. Mohammed emphasized that women and girls from Afghanistan should not be left to fend for themselves in such circumstances. She further stressed, "Let us continue to amplify their voices and remain steadfast in supporting their efforts to achieve the right to education and participation in the economy." The acting government celebrated the anniversary of its return to power on Saturday, August 15. Amina Mohammed is one of the highest-ranking officials from the United Nations who has visited Afghanistan since the current government's return to power, meeting and discussing with government officials. During these meetings, she emphasized the necessity of securing the rights to education and work for women and girls. Additionally, the UN Women’s section has reported that the current government in Afghanistan has issued over 100 decrees against women and girls in the past five years, institutionalizing discrimination and stripping them of their fundamental rights. Currently, women and girls in Afghanistan are deprived of education, work, and the freedom to move around.

UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, has announced that approximately 2.4 million girls in Afghanistan have been deprived of education since 2021. In a published report, the organization stated that women and girls have also been banned from attending universities since 2022 and continue to face severe restrictions in employment and participation in public life. The report highlights that Afghanistan is the only country in the world where girls and women are officially prohibited from receiving secondary and higher education. UNESCO further warned that this ban poses a risk of "losing Afghanistan's capacities for decades, increasing poverty, and causing irreparable harm." The organization estimates that the prohibition on girls' and women's education could lead to the exit of 600,000 women from the workforce by 2066, resulting in a total income loss of $9.6 billion and an increased risk of early marriage. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization emphasized that the restriction on women's higher education will also exacerbate the shortage of female teachers. According to this agency, over two million children are out of school for reasons other than the prohibitions imposed on girls and women. UNESCO estimates that by 2030, Afghanistan will face a shortage of more than 11,000 qualified female teachers. Hoda Jabrian, the UNESCO program coordinator for education in emergencies, stated at a press conference: "Many teachers have left the country, and those who remained in the educational system have been banned from continuing to teach." She added: "The decision to prohibit women from teaching boys has not only removed a significant number of qualified teachers and educators from the educational system but has also resulted in boys being taught by unqualified male teachers. As a result, we either have unqualified male teachers or no teachers at all." This comes as the interim government, after regaining power, first banned girls above sixth grade from education and then closed the doors of universities and medical institutes. Despite widespread international criticism of these actions over the past five years, the current government has not retreated from its position.

UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, has stated that the ban on education and work for women and girls affects not only one generation but also imposes costs on the next generation. In a statement released, it noted that since August 15, 2021, 2.6 million girls have been deprived of education. The restrictions imposed on girls' education and women's employment incur an economic cost of $84 million annually for Afghanistan, and with the continuation of these restrictions, these losses are expected to increase each year. UNICEF has warned that these limitations affect not just one generation but that the costs and consequences will also be passed on to the next generation. The United Nations Children's Fund added: "As the number of illiterate mothers increases, the risks of low birth weight, inadequate vaccination, and stunting among their children also rise, placing additional pressure on a healthcare system that is already strained." Part of the statement mentions that with these restrictions, Afghanistan faces the risk of losing up to 20,000 female teachers and about 5,500 female doctors by 2030. Additionally, the number of female teachers in primary education has currently decreased by more than nine percent, dropping from nearly 73,000 in 2022 to around 66,000 in 2024. UNICEF's research shows that the presence of women in civil services has decreased from 21 percent to 17.7 percent between 2023 and 2025. Catherine Russell, UNICEF's Executive Director, stated: "Five years may seem short in a country's history, but in a girl's life, it is a defining period." She added: "The classroom offers more than just learning. It gives a young person a voice and the ability to reach their full potential while providing a shield against child labor, early marriage, and violence and abuse." She further noted: "When schools were closed, these supports disappeared." UNICEF has warned that when girls drop out of school, they face greater risks including child labor, abuse, early marriage, and gender-based violence. This comes as the interim government announced about two weeks after taking control of Kabul that girls would not be allowed to attend school beyond the sixth grade. Furthermore, women's education at universities was banned in December 2022.

Human Rights Watch has recently emphasized the right to education for girls and called for the reopening of schools to them, stating that girls in Afghanistan have been deprived of education for 1,784 days. In a message marking the 1,784th day of deprivation of education for girls above the sixth grade in Afghanistan, the organization noted that despite the school gates being closed, the "dreams" of girls to continue their education remain alive. Human Rights Watch has urged the leaders of the caretaker government of Afghanistan to create opportunities for girls to return to school and continue their education. In its message, Human Rights Watch stated: "It has been 1,784 days since Afghan girls have been deprived of education. The school gates are closed, but their dreams are alive." The organization has declared education as a fundamental right for girls under the slogan "Let Afghan Girls Go to School." Since the current government's return to power in August 2021, education for girls above the sixth grade has been halted across the country. The deprivation of girls from secondary education, followed by further restrictions, has led to widespread domestic and international reactions. This action by the current government has resulted in millions of schoolgirls being unable to access education. Additionally, women have been banned from going to gyms, restaurants, public baths, being examined by male doctors, traveling without a male guardian, and working in domestic and international NGOs, as well as even in UN offices in Afghanistan. According to reports, if this ban continues, nearly four million girls could be deprived of education by 2030.

Family members of Syed Qasim Hashemi, a journalist, and Hamid Ehsas, a filmmaker from Afghanistan, say that the two have been missing in Islamabad, Pakistan for over a month. At least three sources have stated that the two were friends and were together at the time of their disappearance. The families of these two Afghan citizens issued a statement saying that after 8 PM on July 4, their communication with Hashemi and Ehsas suddenly ceased, and repeated attempts to contact them were unsuccessful. According to the families, after losing contact, they used GPS tracking to locate the vehicle of the two. The vehicle was found in the D-12 area of Islamabad, but Hashemi and Ehsas were not inside or around it. Hamid Ehsas's wife stated that on July 4, Mr. Ehsas left home with Syed Qasim Hashemi to buy camera lenses, and there has been no news of them since. She added that she has approached the Pakistani courts and police, but no leads have been found regarding Hamid Ehsas and Syed Qasim Hashemi. Syed Qasim Hashemi's brother also mentioned that he has not heard from his brother for 36 days. He said, "No one has answered us. We went to the police and the courts, but in these 36 days, we have received no response because the situation for migrants in Pakistan has become very difficult." The families of Syed Qasim Hashemi and Hamid Ehsas are concerned about their safety and well-being. Members of these families have urged the Pakistani government, Islamabad police, and security agencies to seriously and urgently investigate the disappearance of Syed Qasim Hashemi and Hamid Ehsas and keep their families informed about the progress of the investigation. These two cultural activists have disappeared in Pakistan amid an increase in the expulsion of Afghan citizens from the country. Pakistani police are detaining and deporting Afghan citizens. Some Afghan citizens residing in Pakistan are refugees who fled to Pakistan due to security threats in Afghanistan and are seeking asylum in refugee-friendly countries.