“Afghan girls are looking towards world leaders to act immediately and push the Taliban to open girls’ schools. No society can advance if the rights of women and girls are not fully guaranteed."
— M. Rahim Jami
Our work in Afghanistan
Since 2017, Malala Fund has invested close to $1.9 million in local organisations to improve Afghan girls’ access to free, safe, quality education. Education Champions in Afghanistan helped address a nationwide shortage of female teachers by investing in teacher training development and recruitment.
Following the Taliban takeover in 2021, many of our Education Champions faced retribution for advocating for girls and their right to learn. Malala Fund committed more than $1 million in grants to help our Education Champions and their families evacuate and resettle. We also facilitated the safe resettlement of more than 200 additional Afghan human rights defenders.
Currently, Malala Fund supports Afghan education advocates who offer alternative education programmes for girls while schools remain closed. We also continue to partner with Education Champions on global and regional advocacy efforts to keep pressure on the Taliban government to reopen girls’ schools.
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Chapter Impact
Malala Fund believes that achieving progress requires action at multiple levels — sub-national, national and global — to achieve lasting impact for girls’ education.
Where we Work
60%
There are 3.7 million out-of-school children in Afghanistan — 60% are girls. (UNICEF)
Afghanistan
42%
Most girls in rural Bangladesh dropout of school after primary school, with dropout rates at nearly 42 percent. (UNICEF)
Bangladesh
