UNESCO says Afghanistan is the only country that bans girls from school after primary level. Girls can finish primary school, but they cannot go further. Five years have passed since the new leaders took power. Before that, access to education grew for two decades. UNESCO says this ban breaks a basic human right to learn.
UNESCO invited journalists to an online briefing on 11 August. Hoda Jaberian from UNESCO gave new numbers on girls kept out of secondary school. She also described the economic, mental and physical harm of the ban. UNESCO helps girls with community classes, reading lessons and skills training. It also works to protect education rights across Afghanistan.