The European Union has told UNESCO that more than 2.2 million girls in Afghanistan are currently barred from continuing public education beyond Grade 6, and condemned measures imposed by the Taliban that limit women’s and girls’ rights, the bloc said in a statement at UNESCO’s 225th Executive Board.
"The rights situation for Afghan women and girls had deteriorated further in 2026, with restrictions limiting their access to education, employment, freedom of movement and participation in public life," the EU said.
EU calls for unconditional reversal of restrictions
The EU described Afghanistan as the only country where girls are not permitted to continue in formal public schooling past Grade 6 and urged that the policies be revoked without conditions. While welcoming UNESCO’s work to provide learning opportunities, the bloc warned that such programmes cannot substitute for formal, inclusive and quality education.
In its statement the EU highlighted the broader deterioration in rights for women and girls during 2026 and flagged threats to their economic participation and freedoms, as well as constraints on civil society and independent media. The bloc reiterated support for defenders of women’s rights who operate in an increasingly restrictive and dangerous environment.
International support and programmes
The EU flagged a partnership launched with UNESCO in 2025 aimed at community-based skills and literacy. That initiative, valued at €4.7 million, focuses on economic empowerment through local skills development and literacy training for Afghan women and girls.
The statement also said the EU would maintain backing for independent Afghan media, civil society organisations and human rights defenders, and cited UNESCO-led programmes covering media and information literacy, documentary heritage and journalist safety.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Girls barred from public education beyond Grade 6 | More than 2.2 million |
| EU–UNESCO partnership (2025) | €4.7 million |
| UN Strategic Framework for Afghanistan | Extended through 2030 |
UN engagement and cultural concerns
The EU welcomed UNESCO’s ongoing activities inside Afghanistan and noted the extension of the United Nations Strategic Framework for Afghanistan through 2030. It also drew attention to threats to cultural heritage, including illegal excavations and illicit trafficking of cultural goods, and the risks facing cultural professionals — particularly women whose livelihoods have been curtailed.
While the EU praised alternative learning measures, it underscored that such efforts are no substitute for access to mainstream schooling. The statement urged continued international engagement and financial support to enable UNESCO’s work in the country.
- Humanitarian impact: Millions of girls are denied access to secondary education, with long-term consequences for literacy and economic participation.
- Policy response: The EU has condemned the restrictions and is financing complementary education and empowerment programmes through UNESCO.
- Ongoing risks: Cultural heritage and media freedom in Afghanistan face heightened threats, with women disproportionately affected.
The EU statement at UNESCO signals sustained diplomatic pressure and targeted funding to mitigate some effects of exclusionary policies, but it also emphasises that international programmes cannot replace the rights and protections that come with inclusive public education.
Reporting of the EU statement at UNESCO provides a renewed international spotlight on Afghanistan’s education restrictions as agencies, donors and rights advocates consider next steps to restore access for girls and protect civic space for women and cultural professionals.
