UNESCO Supports Women’s Empowerment Through Literacy Programs in Nuristan
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has announced that its supported literacy program in Nuristan province has provided education and skill-building opportunities for women living in the region. According to UNESCO, this program has helped a number of women progress from basic reading and writing education towards livelihood opportunities.
Highlighting part of the UN’s 2025 results report on Afghanistan, UNESCO featured the story of a woman named Habiba, who has acquired new skills through the program and contributed to improving her family’s economic situation. This story appears in the section “From Literacy to Livelihood in Nuristan,” on page 20 of the report.
Nuristan, one of Afghanistan’s mountainous and less developed provinces, has faced serious challenges in access to education, especially for women and girls. In recent years, with the Taliban administration imposing extensive restrictions on women’s education and employment, their access to formal educational and professional opportunities has further diminished, raising concerns domestically and internationally.
Under these circumstances, literacy and skill-building programs supported by international organizations remain the only viable path for many women to enhance their awareness and obtain minimal economic opportunities. However, sustaining and expanding these programs requires guaranteed free and non-discriminatory access to education for women across all parts of the country.
