Kabul: Lack of access to secondary education for girls will have catastrophic consequences for Afghanistan, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said on Saturday.

According to Namibia Press Agency, as a new school year begins in Afghanistan, it marks three years since the start of the ban on girls' secondary education. This decision continues to harm the future of millions of Afghan girls. If this ban persists until 2030, over four million girls will have been deprived of their right to education beyond primary school. The consequences for these girls - and for Afghanistan - are catastrophic, Russell said in a statement.

The ban has a negative impact on the country's health care and the economy. It increases the risk of girls being married off at a young age, which affects their well-being and health. In the long term, Afghanistan will face a shortage of high-quality female health workers and endanger lives, the chief of the UN children's rights agency said.

With fewer female doctors and midwives, girls and women will not receive the medical treatment and support they need. We are estimating an additional 1,600 maternal deaths and over 3,500 infant deaths. These are not just numbers, they represent lives lost and families shattered, she said.

Despite the ban, UNICEF has provided access to education to 445,000 children through community-based learning, with 64% of them being girls. The agency has been calling on the Afghan government to lift the curbs on female education to ensure a healthier, stable and prosperous future for the country.