South China Morning Postgender apartheid, discrimination
PBS NewsHourgrave violation, formally banned
Washington Timesgrave violation, formally banned
UNESCO stated that an estimated 2.4 million Afghan girls remain excluded from secondary education. The Taliban took power on August 15, 2021, following the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces, and Afghanistan is the only country with formal nationwide bans on girls and women in secondary and higher education. Multiple sources confirm the figure and timeline while one date remains disputed.