UNICEF Warns of 25,000-Female Worker Shortage in Afghanistan by 2030

A new report from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warns that Afghanistan could face a shortage of approximately 25,000 female teachers and health workers by 2030 if current restrictions on girls’ education and women’s employment continue. The agency projects the shortfall will include roughly 20,000 educators and 5,400 healthcare professionals, threatening the delivery of essential public services across the country.

According to the report, women’s representation in the civil service has already declined from 21 percent in 2023 to 17.7 percent in 2025. The number of female teachers has similarly fallen from approximately 73,000 in 2022 to 66,000 in 2024. UNICEF noted that more than one million girls have been excluded from secondary education since 2021, a figure that could surpass two million by the end of the decade.

The economic impact of these restrictions is estimated at $84 million annually, equivalent to roughly 0.5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product. The shortage is expected to disproportionately affect maternal and child healthcare, as cultural norms in many regions limit women’s access to male medical providers.

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell warned of severe long-term consequences for the country’s development and called for the immediate lifting of barriers to women’s education and employment. The agency emphasized that restoring access to schooling and professional opportunities is critical to stabilizing essential services and supporting economic recovery.