Afghanistan is facing the world’s most severe women’s rights crisis under Taliban rule, the United Nations has warned, as restrictions continue to limit women’s and girls’ access to education, employment and public life.
Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, Deputy Executive Director of UN Women, raised concerns about the situation in Afghanistan during a meeting at the UN headquarters in New York on Monday, 26 October.
An estimated 2.4 million girls remain excluded from secondary education in Afghanistan in 2026, according to UNESCO. Afghanistan remains the only country where girls and women are barred from secondary and higher education.
Women and girls also face sweeping restrictions on employment and participation in public life, limiting their opportunities and their ability to contribute to the country’s economy and society.
UN agencies have warned that the continued restrictions risk deepening poverty and causing lasting damage to Afghanistan’s social and economic future, while depriving women and girls of fundamental rights and opportunities.
