One In Three Children In Afghanistan Out Of School, UNICEF Warns

In its latest report, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has revealed a troubling statistic: one in every three children in Afghanistan is currently out of school. The organization attributes this crisis primarily to political and social restrictions, with girls bearing the brunt of the consequences.

According to UNICEF, 60% of children who are deprived of education in Afghanistan are girls. The agency has specifically pointed to the restrictions imposed by the Taliban regime, particularly the ban on girls' education beyond the sixth grade, as a key factor fueling this educational emergency.

These policies, widely criticized by international human rights organizations and governments, have been in place since the return of the Islamic Emirate in 2021. The systematic exclusion of girls from secondary and higher education has left millions without access to basic learning and critical developmental opportunities.

In response to the worsening situation, UNICEF has launched collaborative initiatives with the World Bank's South Asia branch to support girls' education in the country. These efforts aim to create alternative pathways for learning in the absence of formal schooling systems.

Among these initiatives are“Accelerated Learning Centres,” which serve as substitutes for formal schools. These centers offer foundational education in literacy, numeracy, and life skills to adolescent girls who have been forced out of mainstream education.

UNICEF has called on the international community to intensify both financial and diplomatic support to ensure children, especially girls, gain better access to education. The agency warns that without urgent intervention, Afghanistan's next generation faces the serious threat of poverty, illiteracy, and long-term marginalization.

Recent surveys and global education indices further confirm the alarming scale of the crisis. According to UNESCO and Human Rights Watch, Afghanistan is now one of the only countries in the world where education for girls beyond primary level is officially banned, creating a systemic barrier to gender equality and national development.

UNICEF and allied organizations emphasize that investing in education-particularly for girls-is not only a human rights imperative but also a critical foundation for rebuilding Afghanistan society. Global donors, policymakers, and local actors must work together to ensure that the right to education is preserved and extended to every child, regardless of gender or geography.

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