The Afghan Taliban often point to improved security as proof of successful governance.
But governance is measured by much more than the absence of armed conflict.
It is measured by whether children can attend school.
It is measured by whether women can work.
It is measured by whether families can access healthcare.
It is measured by whether citizens see hope in their future.
By those standards, Afghanistan continues to face profound challenges.
The most visible symbol of this reality remains the continued exclusion of girls from education.
Years after returning to power, the Taliban continue to enforce restrictions that have drawn widespread international condemnation.
The ban has not remained limited to secondary and higher education. Restrictions have expanded into areas of religious education as well, deepening concerns among Islamic scholars and rights organizations alike.
The consequences extend far beyond classrooms.
Education is not simply a social sector.
It is the foundation upon which healthcare, governance, economic growth and national development are built.
The healthcare sector provides a powerful example.
Women play an indispensable role in Afghanistan’s medical system.
Female doctors, nurses, midwives and healthcare workers are essential in a society where cultural norms often require women to receive treatment from female practitioners.
When girls are prevented from studying, the future pipeline of female healthcare professionals begins to disappear.
The result is not merely an educational crisis.
It becomes a healthcare crisis.
Hospitals struggle to recruit qualified female staff.
Maternal healthcare suffers.
Rural communities lose access to essential services.
Women face increasing barriers in seeking treatment.
The effects become self-reinforcing.
Reduced education weakens healthcare.
Weak healthcare deepens humanitarian challenges.
Humanitarian challenges fuel migration.
Migration creates regional pressures.
This cycle is visible across Afghanistan today.
Many families face severe economic hardship.
Reports of child marriages and families selling children to survive have repeatedly emerged from different parts of the country.
Natural disasters continue to compound suffering.
Economic opportunities remain limited.
Large numbers of Afghans continue attempting to leave the country despite the dangers involved.
The international community recognizes these realities.
The United Nations continues to maintain a presence through UNAMA.
Countries such as Norway continue engagement while simultaneously criticizing restrictions on women and girls.
Human rights bodies repeatedly warn against forced deportations of Afghans because of conditions inside the country.
Even Russia, which has adopted a pragmatic approach toward Afghanistan, continues to support international engagement mechanisms.
The reason is straightforward.
Afghanistan’s future affects everyone around it.
Pakistan faces migration pressures and security challenges.
Iran faces migration flows.
Central Asian states monitor regional stability concerns.
Western countries continue dealing with asylum and humanitarian questions.
In short, Afghanistan’s internal policies now carry regional consequences.
This is why the debate over girls’ education is no longer merely a human rights discussion.
It is a strategic discussion.
A country that restricts half its population from full participation in education and professional life inevitably limits its own development potential.
A healthcare system that sidelines women cannot fully serve society.
An economy that excludes talent cannot maximize growth.
And a government that struggles to provide opportunity risks perpetuating instability.
Afghanistan’s greatest challenge today is not simply gaining international recognition.
It is demonstrating that governance can deliver education, healthcare and opportunity to its people.
Until that happens, the consequences will continue to extend far beyond Afghanistan’s borders, affecting regional security, economic stability and humanitarian conditions, including those most directly impacting Pakistan.
