UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, says that one third of children in Afghanistan are deprived of education, and 60% of them are girls.
In a message posted today (Wednesday, May 21) on its X (formerly Twitter) account, UNICEF stated that with the support of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank in Afghanistan, it supports more than 10,000 community-based education classes, including over 1,500 accelerated learning centers.
According to the statement, these classes have provided educational opportunities for over 300,000 children across Afghanistan, more than two-thirds of whom are girls.
The statement also mentions that the German Committee for UNICEF supports the education of adolescent girls in Afghanistan through 148 accelerated learning centers and has facilitated education for an additional 2,200 adolescent girls in the northern and central regions of the country.
The Children’s Fund considers education a right for every child and emphasizes that education equips children with essential skills for growth, development, and making informed life decisions.
UNICEF quoted one student saying, “If this class hadn’t been established in my village, I would have been forced to marry.”
She adds, “With each passing day, I get one step closer to my dream.”
This international organization also stated that in 2024, it supported 18,000 community-based education classes in Afghanistan, providing education for 564,000 children.
According to the statement, 5,500 female teachers were trained last year.
UNICEF added that in addition to providing education and distributing learning materials, it also reconstructs damaged schools across the country.
This emphasis on girls’ and boys’ education by UNICEF comes while the de facto government has banned girls’ education beyond grade six since returning to power. It has been over 1,337 days since schools have been closed to them.
Previously, the current government had also shut down several UNICEF-supported accelerated learning classes for girls in various provinces.
