A new report from UNESCO highlights the significant impact of the Taliban’s educational restrictions on Afghan women and girls. According to the data, 2.4 million girls are currently being denied access to secondary and higher education. This figure represents a systemic exclusion that has been in place since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, effectively barring girls from attending school beyond the primary level.

UNESCO further projects that the situation is likely to worsen significantly in the coming years. If the current ban on female education persists, the agency estimates that the number of girls excluded from the education system could reach 4 million by 2030. This projection underscores the long-term consequences of the policy, which international observers have described as a severe violation of human rights. The Taliban leadership has maintained that these restrictions are temporary and based on their interpretation of Islamic law, though they have provided no clear timeline for when or if these schools will reopen to female students. The international community continues to pressure the de facto government to reverse these policies, citing the devastating impact on the country's future workforce and social development.