UNICEF warns Afghanistan could lose over 25,000 female professionals in education, healthcare by 2030.

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Key points

• Afghanistan risks losing 25,000 female teachers, health workers by 2030 — UNICEF
• Ongoing ban on girls’ education threatens workforce replacement and service delivery.
• More than one million girls already denied access to secondary education since 2021.

Main story

UNICEF has warned that Afghanistan could face a critical shortage of female professionals in essential public services, with projections indicating a loss of more than 25,000 female teachers and healthcare workers by 2030.

In a recent report, the UN agency described the situation as a looming dual crisis, driven by the combined effect of workforce attrition and restrictions on girls’ education and women’s employment.

According to UNICEF, Afghanistan could lose up to 20,000 female teachers and approximately 5,400 healthcare workers by the end of the decade if current policies remain unchanged.

The report noted that the departure of trained female professionals, coupled with the inability to educate and train a new generation of women, would significantly weaken the country’s education and healthcare systems.

The issues

The crisis stems largely from restrictions imposed on girls’ education and women’s participation in the workforce. Since the ban on girls attending secondary school was introduced in September 2021, access to education beyond primary level has been severely curtailed.

Currently, girls are not allowed to attend classes beyond Grade six, while women are barred from enrolling in universities. These limitations have disrupted the pipeline of future professionals needed to sustain key public services.

The continued exclusion of women also raises broader concerns about gender equality, human capital development, and long-term socio-economic stability in Afghanistan.

What’s being said

UNICEF stated that more than one million girls have already been deprived of secondary education since the ban was introduced, warning that the number could exceed two million by 2030 if the restrictions persist.

The agency emphasised that without urgent intervention, Afghanistan will struggle to replace departing female teachers and healthcare workers, exacerbating existing service gaps.

It further stressed that access to education is a fundamental right and a critical driver of national development.

What’s next

UNICEF has called on Afghan authorities to immediately lift restrictions on girls’ secondary education and women’s access to higher education and employment.

The agency also urged the international community to sustain support for Afghan girls through advocacy, funding, and programmes aimed at preserving access to learning opportunities.

Bottom line

Without urgent policy reversal, Afghanistan risks a deepening crisis in education and healthcare, as the systematic exclusion of girls and women threatens to erode critical human capital and undermine the country’s future development.