Afghans overwhelmingly support girls’ education despite ongoing ban: UN Women

Despite the Islamic Emirate’s continuing ban on secondary education for girls, the vast majority of Afghans across all demographics believe girls should have the right to learn, according to a new report by UN Women.

The latest Gender Alert, released this week, draws on a nationwide door-to-door survey of over 2,000 people and reveals that 92 percent of respondents consider girls’ education important. Support was consistent across urban and rural areas. In cities, 95 percent of both men and women expressed support, while in rural areas, 95 percent of women and 87 percent of men did the same.

“This is almost always the first thing girls tell us – they are desperate to learn and just want the chance to gain an education,” said Susan Ferguson, UN Women’s Special Representative in Afghanistan. “Families also say they want their daughters to have that dream. They know that literacy and learning can change the trajectory of a girl’s life, in a country where half the population is living in poverty.”

The report also highlights the broader social and economic impact of increasing restrictions on women’s rights since the Islamic Emirate regained control in 2021. In areas where the ban on women working with NGOs is being enforced, a separate UN Women survey from July and August 2025 found that 97 percent of women said the restrictions have negatively affected their daily lives. Over half of NGOs operating in Afghanistan now report being unable to effectively reach women and girls with essential services.

Based on the report, 40 percent of Afghan women surveyed said they still envision a future where change and gender equality are possible. However, nearly three-quarters of women rated their mental health as “bad” or “very bad.”

Women also reported significant lack of agency in decision-making. Seventy-five percent said they have no influence in their communities, half felt excluded from decisions in their extended families, and one in four said they had no influence even within their own households.

The Islamic Emirate has previously said that the issue of girls’ education is an internal issue in Afghanistan and efforts are being made to resolve it.