UNESCO: Taliban Have Banned 1.4M Girls From Schools
The Facts
The Taliban government, which took power in Afghanistan in 2021, has since “deliberately deprived” education to at least 1.4M girls, a UN agency has reported.
Unesco data show that if those excluded from schools since before the ban are added, the figure swells up to 2.5M girls — representing 80% of school-age girls.
The Spin
The Taliban are silencing women and girls, confining them to homes, and robbing them of their futures. They have effectively turned women into ghosts within their own country. This systematic erasure threatens to leave a generation of girls in darkness.
The UN and other global actors have been complicit in erasing Afghan women from crucial discussions about their country's future. They are repeating past mistakes to appease the Taliban and legitimize policies that have virtually erased women from public life.
Afghan women and girls are displaying remarkable resilience and courage in the face of Taliban oppression. Under the constant threat of punishment, they pursue education through underground schools and online classes. Decrees cannot crush their determination.
