The European Union has called for the unconditional reversal of Taliban policies restricting the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan, warning that their situation has deteriorated further in 2026.
In a statement Sunday at the 225th session of UNESCO’s Executive Board, the EU condemned human rights violations and what it described as “extreme gender-based discrimination” by Taliban authorities.
The bloc said the restrictions have severely limited women’s participation in public and social life and denied them fundamental rights, including access to education and employment and freedom of movement.
“The European Union remains alarmed by the further deterioration of the rights situation for women and girls in 2026,” the statement said.
The EU said Afghanistan remains the only country where girls are barred from public education beyond the sixth grade, affecting more than 2.2 million girls.
“We call for the unconditional reversal of these discriminatory policies,” it said.
The EU welcomed UNESCO’s efforts to provide alternative learning opportunities for Afghan women and girls but said such programs cannot substitute for formal, inclusive and quality education.
The bloc said it launched a 4.7 million-euro partnership with UNESCO in 2025 to promote economic empowerment through community-based skills development and literacy training in Afghanistan.
The EU also pledged continued support for independent Afghan media, civil society organizations, human rights defenders and groups working on women’s rights despite what it described as an increasingly restrictive environment.
It also expressed concern about threats to Afghanistan’s cultural heritage, including illegal excavations and illicit trafficking of cultural property, as well as threats to the livelihoods and safety of cultural professionals, particularly women.
The EU welcomed the extension of the UN Strategic Framework for Afghanistan through 2030 and reiterated its support for the United Nations’ work in the country.
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