Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF, stated that with the start of the new academic year in Afghanistan, an additional 400,000 girls have been deprived of education, bringing the total number of girls who are banned from secondary and high school education to 2.2 million.
In a statement issued day (Saturday, March 22), Russell warned that the continuation of this ban threatens the future of millions of Afghan girls and will have severe consequences for the entire country.
She further cautioned that if this situation persists until 2030, more than four million girls will be deprived of education beyond primary school.
The UNICEF Executive Director emphasized that this ban not only endangers the health and well-being of girls but also increases forced marriages and reduces women’s presence in the healthcare system.
The statement also noted that the shortage of female doctors and midwives puts thousands of mothers and newborns at risk.
UNICEF estimates that this prohibition will lead to 1,600 maternal deaths and over 3,500 infant deaths.
The organization reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Afghan children, particularly girls. According to the statement, 445,000 children currently have access to education through community-based learning programs, 64% of whom are girls.
UNICEF described the situation as catastrophic and called for the immediate lifting of the ban on girls’ education.
It should be noted that the de facto government has prohibited girls above the sixth grade from attending school, university, and sports activities in Afghanistan.
This decision has left millions of female students without access to education.
Additionally, women have been banned from entering gyms, restaurants, public baths, receiving medical examinations from male doctors, traveling without a male guardian, and working in both domestic and international NGOs, as well as UN offices in Afghanistan.
The international community has repeatedly urged the current government to remove educational restrictions on girls. However, the de facto authorities have yet to make any changes in this regard.
