One million girls in Afghanistan are out of school.

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The stated figure of one million is a significant underestimate. UNESCO reports that 2.2 million adolescent girls are banned from secondary education alone as of 2025, and the total number of girls excluded from all levels of education is even higher.

Omissions

• The claim does not distinguish between girls completely out of school at all levels versus those specifically banned from secondary and higher education. Primary education remains technically open to girls, though access is severely restricted in practice.
• The MEP did not cite a source for the one million figure, which is substantially lower than figures published by UNESCO and UNICEF.
• The claim uses a rounded figure ('one million') that understates the scale of the crisis by at least 50% and potentially by over 100%, depending on which age cohorts are included.

Sources

• PrimaryUNESCOThe ban on girls' secondary education, now in its fourth year, has shut 2.2 million adolescent girls out of classrooms, leaving Afghanistan the only country in the world where girls are formally barred from accessing education beyond primary level.
• PrimaryUNICEFAs a result, 2.2 million adolescent girls have been banned from attending secondary school, severely limiting their future opportunities and the country's development prospects.