UN Warns Millions of Afghan Girls Remain Out of School

(MENAFN) The United Nations has warned of a growing humanitarian and social crisis in Afghanistan, highlighting that millions of girls remain out of school under Taliban rule.

According to reports, UN officials told the Security Council on Monday that approximately 3.8 million Afghan girls between the ages of 7 and 18 are currently not receiving education. Among them, more than 2.6 million are adolescents, raising concerns about long-term impacts on the country’s future workforce and social development.

Georgette Gagnon, the UN deputy special representative for Afghanistan and acting head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), said the situation is producing what she described as a “lost generation” of girls being excluded from secondary education.

She warned that each year around 250,000 additional girls are being permanently shut out of schooling opportunities, further deepening the crisis.

“Each year, approximately 250,000 more girls are permanently excluded from secondary education pathways, creating a lost generation of talent and potential,” she said.

The UN also reported that around 3.7 million children are suffering from acute malnutrition, while women continue to face increasing restrictions in daily life under Taliban governance.

Despite these challenges, officials noted some signs of macroeconomic stability, including modest economic growth, improved revenue collection, and maintained fiscal balance. However, they stressed that these gains remain fragile and heavily constrained by ongoing sanctions and humanitarian pressures.

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