Afghanistan, Aug. 12 -- About 2.4 million girls in Afghanistan have been excluded from secondary education since 2021, UNESCO said Tuesday, warning that the prolonged restrictions are deepening the country's education crisis and threatening its future workforce.
The warning comes ahead of the fifth anniversary of the Taliban's return to power. Afghanistan remains the only country in the world where girls and women are formally barred from secondary and higher education, according to UNESCO.
Women have also been excluded from universities since 2022 and face sweeping restrictions on employment and participation in public life.
UNESCO warned that the consequences could extend well beyond the current generation. It estimates that restrictio...