UNAMA statement on the International Day of Education

KABUL — Today, on the International Day of Education, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) marks this significant occasion with a profound sense of regret and deep concern for the millions of Afghan girls who continue to be denied their fundamental right to education.

It has been 1,225 days—soon to be four years—since the de facto authorities in Afghanistan imposed a ban that prevents girls above the age of 12 from attending school.

“It is a travesty and tragedy that millions of Afghan girls have been stripped of their right to education. No country has ever thrived by disempowering and leaving behind half its population. The de facto authorities must end this ban immediately and allow all Afghan girls to return to school,” said Roza Otunbayeva, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan.

Since August 2021, the de facto authorities have instituted sweeping restrictions on the most basic rights and freedoms of women and girls. Afghanistan is the only country in the world that explicitly bars women and girls from all levels of education.

The International Day of Education, celebrated annually on January 24, underscores education’s critical role in achieving peace, development, and equality. This year’s theme, ‘artificial intelligence (AI) and education: preserving human agency in a world of automation’ serves as an urgent reminder to uphold the right to education for every individual, regardless of gender, race or geography.