Annual Loss of $1.4 Billion to Afghanistan Due to Women’s Exclusion from Education and Work

The study was conducted by Harry Anthony Patrinos, the head of educational policy at the University of Arkansas, Raja Bentawi Kattan, an education expert at the World Bank, and Rafiuddin Najm, an economist at the American University.

The results of the study, using labor force and household data from Afghanistan for the years 2007, 2014, and 2020, were published and shared on the Conversation website.

The researchers emphasized that the financial loss caused by the exclusion of women and girls from education and work is greater than previous estimates made by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Two years ago, UNICEF had stated that the ban on girls’ secondary education had caused at least $500 million in damage to Afghanistan's economy.

However, this new study indicates that the calculated financial loss only includes economic damages and does not account for the social costs resulting from reduced educational levels of women, such as negative impacts on health, children’s education, and social inequalities.

To highlight this economic blow, the researchers pointed out that Afghanistan's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2023 was only $17 billion. They stressed that investing in women’s education not only leads to economic growth but also improves public health, reduces poverty, and creates long-term social benefits, such as higher school attendance rates and improved child health.

The researchers also emphasized that continuing the bans will eliminate educational and economic opportunities for generations and will lead Afghanistan into even deeper challenges.

A part of the study mentions that investment in women’s education not only impacts the women themselves but also brings economic and social benefits that can continue for future generations. These benefits include higher school attendance rates and better child health.

The study’s findings also show that by providing educational opportunities for women and girls, child mortality rates have been reduced by half, and Gross National Income per capita has nearly tripled.

In their analysis, the researchers highlighted the role of education in economic growth, stating that the global average return on investment in education for each additional year of schooling is approximately 9%. In Afghanistan, this return is low, but when focusing on women’s education, this number significantly increases.

According to the findings of this study, for each additional year of education for a woman, her income increases by an average of 13%.