Four Years of Darkness
The Crisis of Girls’ Education in Afghanistan and the Need for International Action
Introduction
Afghanistan is the only country to ban girls from secondary and higher education. Four years on, what must happen now. Since the Taliban reclaimed power in August 2021, The fall of Kabul, Afghanistan has spiraled into a humanitarian crisis marked by extreme oppression of women and girls. This situation has become dire, particularly regarding the right to education. As we approach the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 80), in September 2025, the fourth anniversary of the Taliban’s officially ban on girls attending secondary schools, we must spotlight the alarming consequences of this regime’s policies. This ban has deprived almost 2.5 million Afghan girls of critical educational opportunities and symbolizes a broad spectrum of gender-based oppression that demands immediate and robust international action.
The cessation of girls’ secondary education is not just a national concern; it represents a global crisis that undermines the principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Furthermore, the fact that no girl has graduated from secondary school since the implementation of this ban brings into sharp focus the urgent need for international advocacy and a cohesive response from the global community. The consequences of inaction are stark, with potential ramifications not only for Afghanistan but also for worldwide stability and peace.
The Taliban has grown increasingly emboldened in its oppressive policies, and it is imperative that the United Nations and its member states recognize their critical role in upholding international law and human rights. The Education Defenders Network (EDN), this position paper calls for immediate intervention and tangible action to confront the Taliban’s systematic discrimination against women and girls. Without such measures, the outlook for the Afghan population remains bleak, and the broader consequences of inaction could lead to increased extremism and humanitarian crises across regions.
The Current Status: An Educational Catastrophe
The conditions under Taliban rule have resulted in an unprecedented educational catastrophe for Afghan girls and women. This is the fourth year no girl has graduated from secondary school. These bans are central to a system of gender persecution. When the Taliban re-established control, it imposed a comprehensive ban on girls’ secondary education, reversing two decades of progress and leaving many young women trapped in a cycle of poverty and disenfranchisement. The Taliban has enforced limiting women’s freedoms, including their right to education. The continuous restrictions symbolize a calculated effort to erase the progress made in women’s education over the past two decades.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) reported in 2022 that girls in Afghanistan are the only population globally explicitly barred from secondary education. This leads not only to immediate educational discrimination but also to long-term socio-economic repercussions.
As the global community watches, the effects of these policies extend far beyond individual stories; they manifest as a national crisis impacting Afghanistan’s socio-economic landscape. The United Nations Development Programme estimates that over 75% of the population now lives in poverty, exacerbated by the lack of educational opportunities for girls. By denying half the population — Afghan women — the right to education, the Taliban has systematically hindered the country’s potential for growth and stability.
According to analysis by UNICEF, Keeping girls out of secondary school costs Afghanistan 2.5% of its annual GDP. If the three million girls were able to complete their secondary education and participate in the job market, girls and women would contribute at least $5.4 billion to Afghanistan’s economy.
In the educational sector, the Taliban has imposed their own version of education, grounded in a narrow and extremist interpretation of religion. Hundreds of Jihadi Madrasas have been set up across the provinces. Their supporters, who received credentials, are now university instructors and government employees. This shift aims to replace the Republic era’s, human rights-based education with a narrow, extremist ideology.
In a world where education is often seen as a tool for empowerment and development, the failure to educate girls has far-reaching implications. Education factors significantly into economic stability, public health, and overall societal advancement. Consequently, the impact of the Taliban’s policies is not only felt in the classroom but resonates throughout Afghan society and the subsequent generations that will follow.
Gender-Based Oppression: A Broader Agenda
The Taliban’s ban on girls’ education is but one facet of a larger agenda aimed at enforcing gender-based oppression. Since taking power, the regime has systematically cracked down on women’s freedom, including restrictions on their mobility, employment, and engagement in public life. Women have been effectively barred from playing meaningful roles in society, with the Taliban enacting over 100 decrees that specifically target female citizens.
Before the collapse of the Afghan government in August 2021, girls’ access to education was steadily improving. The effects of these restrictions are visible in various sectors—including healthcare and education. The World Bank has reported disturbing trends indicating a deterioration in health outcomes for women and children, leading to increased maternal mortality rates and decreased access to healthcare services. This systematic marginalization propels a worsening cycle of poverty, underdevelopment, and lack of opportunity, both for women and for the nation at large.
Moreover, the Taliban’s actions are being observed globally, raising serious concerns regarding the implications of inaction on the international stage. As Afghanistan remains a member of the United Nations, the global community bears a significant responsibility to address these violations of human rights. The decisions made in response to the Taliban’s regime—be they in solidarity with Afghan women or silence in the face of brutality—will have ramifications that extend far beyond Afghanistan’s borders.
The failure of the international community to mount an effective response thus far has only emboldened the Taliban, allowing them to continue their repressive regime unchecked. The time has come for decisive action.
The International Community’s Responsibility
We are welcoming the ICC arrest warrants for senior Taliban leaders over persecution of women and girls. But, the international community, particularly UN member states, must recognize their urgent responsibility to address the crisis in Afghanistan. The collective inadequacy of responses to the Taliban’s oppressive policies—a reflection of longstanding challenges in enforcing human rights—poses significant risks for global security and stability. If the Taliban’s actions are to go unchecked, we must question the implications for other nations wrestling with similar authoritarian regimes, as their actions may embolden oppressive governments worldwide.
The absence of a meaningful response from the United Nations General Assembly over the past four years has been troubling. Reports indicate that there has been a lack of robust measures to protect human rights or hold the Taliban accountable. The result has been a permissive environment in which the Taliban has continued to dismantle the hard-fought rights of Afghan women and girls.
To effectively address these challenges, member states must adopt a multi-faceted approach that encompasses diplomatic pressure, economic sanctions, and the cultivation of coalitions aimed at isolating the Taliban regime. Member States should tie all engagement to clear, verifiable education benchmarks. We must elevate the voices of Afghan women, allowing them to participate meaningfully in dialogues about their futures.
Recommended Actions for Global Stakeholders
- Recognized Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan
The international community must urgently recognize the gender apartheid imposed by the Taliban in Afghanistan, given its far-reaching implications. This situation not only obstructs educational advancement for over a million young women but also undermines socio-economic progress, thereby threatening regional stability and contributing to global crises.
The Taliban’s systematic denial of women’s rights—including education, employment, and public life—creates fertile ground for extremism, mass migration, and human rights abuses. Immediate actions are required to counter this oppression, including referring the situation to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate crimes against humanity and establishing a global justice mechanism to hold the Taliban accountable for its actions. Support efforts to codify gender apartheid as an international crime.
- Implementation of Targeted Sanctions
One of the most immediate steps that should be taken is the implementation of targeted sanctions against Taliban officials and entities that perpetuate systemic gender discrimination. The United Nations Security Council must move swiftly to hold accountable those responsible for the erasure of women’s rights within Afghanistan, and ensure sanctions are tied to education benchmarks and protect humanitarian exemptions.
Sanctions should be articulated clearly, ensuring they do not inadvertently harm the general population but apply pressure on the Taliban’s leadership and structures.
- Establish Humanitarian Corridors
The establishment of humanitarian corridors is crucial to ensure that essential services and educational resources reach those in need without restrictions from the Taliban. By working with international and local NGOs, governments can foster alternative pathways for education, including remote learning programs tailored for Afghan girls. These initiatives can serve as a lifeline, providing access to quality education despite the constraints of the political environment.
- Empower Civil Society Initiatives
Engagement with Afghanistan civil society is essential. International stakeholders should build partnerships with local organizations advocating for women’s rights and education. This can serve to amplify the voices of Afghan girls and women while ensuring that international efforts are guided by those who understand the context and nuances of the community better. Provide flexible funding, protection pathways, and digital security support for women defenders and educators.
- Condemn and Contain
The dual strategy of condemning the Taliban’s human rights abuses while implementing measures to contain their influence needs to be prioritized. The international community should strengthen diplomatic campaigns that isolate the Taliban regime, drawing attention to their transgressions and ensuring that human rights violations do not go unnoticed or unpunished.
- Conditional Engagement
All forms of engagement with the Taliban must be conditioned on demonstrable improvements in women’s rights and educational access, time-bound and verifiable. Countries and organizations who choose to interact with the Taliban should make it clear that their engagement hinges on tangible, enforceable commitments to gender equality and human rights.
Global Consequences of Inaction
The ongoing crisis in Afghanistan carries significant risks for both regional and global stability. The rise of extremism in the vacuum left by a failing state, compounded by the systematic oppression of women, creates fertile ground for unrest. The failure to support the rights of women and girls is likely to lead to increased radicalization and potential increases in international terrorism.
Furthermore, the phenomenon of mass migration is a direct consequence of the Taliban’s oppressive rule. As more Afghans seek refuge outside their home country, the pressure on global resources and migration systems intensifies, creating another layer of complexity in international relations and humanitarian anxiety. Countries that value human rights and gender equality must take a stand to prevent further deterioration of conditions, not only for Afghan women but also for the global landscape.
The implications of the Taliban’s actions go beyond Afghanistan’s borders, influencing norms of governance and human rights internationally. Allowing such discriminatory policies to persist without adequate intervention would not only embolden other regimes to adopt similar measures but would also undermine the international human rights framework. The consequences of inaction could set significant backward steps for global commitments to gender equality and result in multi-faceted repercussions across generations.
To mitigate such risks, it is crucial to invoke collective global action to address these violations of human rights. The world cannot afford to adopt a passive stance; the implications of inaction are dire and enduring.
Conclusion
The situation facing Afghan women and girls is not merely a national crisis; it is a shining example of the struggle for human rights that resonates worldwide. The lack of action from the international community has far-reaching implications that could destabilize regional and global stability. Inaction is tantamount to complicity in the erosion of fundamental human rights.
As we approach the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, there is an opportune moment for the global community to demonstrate its commitment to gender equality, human rights, and diplomatic justice. By taking swift and decisive action to support Afghan girls’ access to education, we can work towards restoring dignity and autonomy to an entire generation.
This thorough analysis underscores the urgency for global action and the responsibility of the international community to ensure that women and girls in Afghanistan are granted the fundamental rights and opportunities they deserve. Their future, and indeed the future of our shared global society, hangs in the balance.
At UNGA 80, governments should move beyond words to deliverables: back ICC process, codify gender apartheid, fund learning programs, and set conditions for engagement. A fifth year of exclusion is indefensible.
We call upon UN member states, organizations, and advocates to stand together, uplift the voices of the Afghan people, and take measures to reclaim the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan. The time for action is now; Afghan women and girls deserve a future free from oppression, filled with educational opportunities and the promise of what they can achieve.
This position paper represents the collective voices of 210 coalition, networks, human rights organizations, and 65 academics, and education defenders from 43 countries.