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Catherine Russell highlights the severe educational and economic restrictions facing Afghan women and girls under the Taliban regime.

Catherine Russell, Executive Director of Unicef, emphasized that Afghanistan remains the only country in the world where secondary and higher education is effectively closed to girls and women. Since the Taliban took power five years ago, more than 2.6 million girls have been denied a secondary education, creating a significant gap in the country's development. Reports from Save the Children indicate that economic hardship and a growing hunger crisis have further exacerbated these restrictions, forcing many families into child labor and early marriage. While some girls, such as Damsa, continue to pursue education through community-based programs, many others like Laila are forced to work from a young age to support their families. The continued exclusion of women from the workforce and education is estimated to cost the country $84 million annually in lost economic output. Experts suggest that a united front from the Afghan diaspora and women across all communities must be formed to pressure the international community to end the gender apartheid and restore fundamental rights to Afghan women.

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