Afghanistan Peace CampaignBy Fidel Rahmati
Khaama Press
The United Nations has warned that Afghanistan risks creating a “lost generation” as nearly 3.8 million girls remain excluded from education under Taliban restrictions, while millions more face worsening humanitarian conditions, food insecurity and poverty.
Addressing the UN Security Council on Monday, Georgette Gagnon, acting head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), said an estimated 3.8 million girls aged between seven and 18 are currently out of school, including more than 2.6 million adolescent girls barred from secondary education.
Gagnon warned that approximately 250,000 additional girls are permanently excluded from secondary education every year, depriving the country of future talent and opportunities. She said the continued restrictions on women and girls will have long-term consequences for Afghanistan’s social and economic development.
The UN official noted that while Afghanistan has shown limited signs of economic stabilization, including modest growth and improved revenue collection, the gains remain fragile. She added that up to 2.8 million Afghans are expected to return from neighbouring countries this year, placing additional pressure on communities already struggling with unemployment, poverty and limited public services.
UNAMA also reported that Afghanistan remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian emergencies. According to the United Nations, about 21.9 million people—nearly 45 percent of the population—will require humanitarian assistance in 2026.
Edem Wosornu, director of crisis response at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told the Security Council that food insecurity and malnutrition are worsening across the country. She said 4.7 million people are at risk of severe food insecurity, while an estimated 3.7 million children are suffering from acute malnutrition.
Wosornu warned that humanitarian operations are being severely constrained by funding shortages. She said the UN’s $1.71 billion humanitarian appeal for Afghanistan this year has received only about 15 percent of the required funding, raising concerns that life-saving assistance programmes may be reduced.
UNAMA has repeatedly urged the Taliban to lift restrictions on women and girls, particularly bans on secondary and higher education, warning that such measures undermine Afghanistan’s future and deepen existing social and economic challenges.
The UN has also warned that recurring droughts, climate-related disasters, declining international aid and the mass return of Afghan migrants from neighbouring countries are compounding the humanitarian crisis. Aid agencies say millions of families continue to struggle to access food, healthcare, clean water and livelihoods.
Afghanistan remains one of only two countries in the world where girls are barred from secondary education. International organisations have repeatedly stressed that restoring women’s access to education and employment is essential for the country’s long-term stability, economic recovery and development.