The Costs of Inaction
Issue brief | Girls’ education and women’s labour force participation in Afghanistan
Highlights
Afghanistan’s economy may be showing signs of stabilization, but beneath the surface, deep vulnerabilities are growing. Continued restrictions on girls’ education and women’s labour force participation are weakening the country’s human capital base, with serious consequences for future growth, public services, and social stability.
In 2024, an estimated 3.8 million girls aged 7 to 18 were out of school, including more than 2.6 million adolescent girls. Over the past five years, at least 1 million girls have been directly affected by restrictions on secondary education. If current decrees remain in place, this number could exceed 2 million by 2030.
The cost of inaction is already significant. Conservative estimates suggest that restrictions on women’s education and labour force participation are costing Afghanistan at least AFN 5.3 billion, equivalent to US$84 million, every year. This represents around 0.5 per cent of the country’s 2023 GDP.
Beyond the economic loss, the long-term risks are even more severe. Without young women entering the skilled workforce, Afghanistan’s education and health systems will face growing shortages, reducing access to essential services for women and children and worsening maternal and child health outcomes.
This issue brief makes clear that inaction is not neutral. Safeguarding girls’ education and women’s participation in the workforce is not only a rights issue, but a strategic investment in Afghanistan’s future stability, recovery, and social resilience.
