Afghanistan could lose more than 25,000 female teachers and health workers by 2030 if restrictions on girls’ education remain in place. The loss would also occur if restrictions on women’s employment continue.
UNICEF said the losses could include up to 20,000 women teachers and 5,400 healthcare workers by 2030. Meanwhile, the country faces a dual crisis of losing trained women while blocking girls from replacing them.
The agency said the projected shortfall would equal about a quarter of Afghanistan’s 2021 female workforce in those sectors. Reuters-cited reporting said the restrictions are already weakening schools, hospitals and wider public services.
UNICEF said more than 1 million girls have been denied the right to continue learning since secondary education was suspended in 2021. If the policy remains unchanged until 2030, more than 2 million girls could be denied access to education beyond primary school. The agency said this would be a significant setback. “Afghanistan cannot afford to lose future teachers, nurses, doctors, midwives, and social workers, who sustain essential services,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in the agency’s statement.
UNICEF said the impact would hit healthcare especially hard. Female workers often play an essential role in the care of women and girls. UN Geneva also said the report warned that losing trained female professionals would widen service gaps. Restricting the next generation would make the problem even worse.
The restrictions are costing Afghanistan at least $84 million a year in lost economic output, according to UNICEF-linked reporting. The agency also said women’s representation in the civil service fell from 21% to 17.7% between 2023 and 2025.
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UNICEF urged Afghanistan’s de facto authorities to lift the ban on secondary education for girls. It also called on the international community to continue supporting girls’ right to learn.
UNICEF said it continues to support education and health services in Afghanistan despite the restrictions. This support includes community-based learning and emergency support for children in public schools.
