Afghanistan’s education authorities have reaffirmed long-standing restrictions on female education, reigniting international concern over the country’s human rights situation.
Sheikh Neda Mohammad Nadeem, the country’s Higher Education Minister, addressed the media, stating that women’s access to universities remains “suspended until further notice,” a phrase that has been repeatedly used since the initial ban on female university attendance in 2022.
Higher education still inaccessible
Women have been barred from tertiary institutions in Afghanistan since December 2022, while secondary schoolgirls have been unable to attend classes since August 2021.
The minister’s recent statement does not signal a new policy but reinforces the existing restrictions, leaving millions of Afghan women and girls without access to education.
International response remains limited
Despite the ongoing barriers, UN Women has yet to issue a statement regarding the situation. Reports from UNESCO and UNICEF indicate that around 2.2 million girls remain unable to attend school, making Afghanistan the only country in the world with a complete ban on female education at both secondary and tertiary levels.
Long-term implications
Experts warn that the prolonged suspension of women’s education threatens both social and economic development. Denying women the right to learn limits personal growth and undermines the nation’s broader human rights obligations and future workforce potential.
The Taliban government maintains that the restrictions are part of its policy framework, leaving the international community watching closely.
Watch the video below…
Afghanistan’s education minister has announced that women are permanently banned from schools.
UN Women has not said a word.
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) March 10, 2026
