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UNICEF said in an analysis that restrictions on girls’ education and women’s participation in the workforce in Afghanistan could result in the loss of around 20,000 female teachers and 5,400 healthcare workers by 2030.

The study titled “The Cost of Inaction on Girls’ Education and Women’s Labor Force Participation” stated that the share of women in public services declined from 21 percent to 17.7 percent between 2023 and 2025.

The report noted that the decrease in the number of female workers in education and health sectors could negatively affect children’s education, health, and future opportunities. It also stated that the restrictions cause an annual loss of approximately 84 million dollars to the national economy, and this loss may increase over time.

The statement emphasized that women play a critical role, especially in fields such as teaching and healthcare, and that declines in these areas could directly affect girls’ school enrollment rates and healthcare services for women and children.

Catherine Russell stated that Afghanistan cannot afford to lose its female workforce in professions such as teaching, nursing, medicine, and social services, and called for the lifting of the ban on girls’ access to secondary education.

According to the report, since access to secondary education was restricted in 2021, more than one million girls have been deprived of their right to education, and this number could exceed 2 million by 2030 if the restrictions continue.

It was also reported that the number of female teachers in primary education declined from about 73,000 in 2022 to 66,000 in 2024.

UNICEF stated that despite the current restrictions, it continues to support educational activities in the country, providing assistance to more than 3.7 million children in 2025, with hundreds of thousands benefiting from alternative education programs.