The European Union has condemned human rights violations and gender-based discrimination by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), calling for an end to restrictions on women and girls, particularly the ban on education beyond Grade 6.

In a statement delivered at UNESCO’s 225th Executive Board meeting on October 19, the EU expressed alarm over the continued deterioration of women’s and girls’ rights in Afghanistan in 2026.

The bloc said Afghanistan remains the only country where girls are prohibited from attending public education beyond Grade 6, a restriction affecting more than 2.2 million girls. It called for the unconditional reversal of the policies.

The EU also welcomed UNESCO’s efforts to provide alternative learning opportunities for Afghan women and girls, while stressing that these initiatives cannot replace formal, inclusive and quality education.

In 2025, the EU and UNESCO launched a €4.7 million partnership aimed at promoting economic empowerment through community-based skills development and literacy training in Afghanistan.

IEA spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has previously said that education for girls above Grade 6 remains under review and that the government is working to resolve the issue.

The EU meanwhile also reaffirmed its support for independent Afghan media, civil society organisations and human rights defenders, particularly those working to protect women’s rights, despite the risks and restrictions they face.

It highlighted EU-backed UNESCO initiatives focused on media and information literacy, documentary heritage, freedom of expression and the safety of journalists.

The statement further raised concerns over threats to Afghanistan’s cultural heritage, illegal archaeological excavations, the illicit trafficking of cultural goods and the safety and livelihoods of cultural professionals, particularly women.

The EU commended UNESCO’s work in Afghanistan and welcomed the extension of the United Nations Strategic Framework for Afghanistan until 2030, emphasising the UN’s continued role in the country.

It also reaffirmed its commitment to providing financial support for UNESCO’s activities in Afghanistan, including programmes aimed at education, cultural preservation, media freedom and the protection of fundamental rights.

European governments are stepping up engagement with Afghanistan’s Islamic Emirate (IEA) authorities over the deportation of migrants, economic assistance and diplomatic representation, despite continuing to withhold formal recognition of the administration, France 24 reports.

The report draws on an investigation by Elian Peltier, The New York Times’ Pakistan and Afghanistan bureau chief, who says European officials are meeting IEA representatives more frequently than is widely known.

The growing contacts highlight the tension between Europe’s official policy of non-recognition and its practical efforts to address migration and other issues involving Afghanistan.

However, the prospect of returning Afghan migrants has raised concerns among United Nations experts and human rights organisations, which have warned about the risks of deportation under IEA rule, particularly given restrictions on fundamental rights.

Afghanistan’s persistent economic crisis adds to these concerns, with limited employment opportunities, widespread hardship and difficulties accessing basic necessities potentially leaving returnees struggling to rebuild their lives.

The developments underscore the challenge facing European governments as they seek to manage migration while weighing humanitarian concerns and the conditions awaiting deportees in Afghanistan.

Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has hit back at US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth over remarks downplaying NATO allies’ contributions to the Afghanistan war, urging him to remember the Polish personnel who died fighting alongside American forces.

Hegseth recently questioned the extent of allied combat contributions during the Afghanistan mission, suggesting that only a small number of countries had played a significant role. He also joked that ISAF, the International Security Assistance Force, stood for “I Saw Americans Fighting.”

Sikorski responded by challenging Hegseth to repeat his remarks to the families of the 44 Polish personnel killed during the mission, including those who served in Ghazni province.

Jan Grabiec, head of the Polish prime minister’s office, also condemned the comments, saying the sacrifices of allied troops should not be mocked.

Poland took part in the US-led military operation from 2001 until the withdrawal of international forces in 2021.

More than 33,000 Polish soldiers and defence personnel served in Afghanistan over nearly two decades.

According to the report, 43 Polish soldiers and one civilian paramedic were killed, while more than 200 Polish personnel were wounded.

The Afghanistan mission marked the first and only time NATO invoked Article 5, its collective defence clause, following the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

More than 1,000 NATO service members were killed during the mission, including 44 Poles.

The dispute has renewed debate over the contributions and sacrifices of NATO allies during the two-decade conflict, in which forces from across the alliance served alongside the United States.