Taliban Ban on Girls' Secondary Education

Afghanistan remains the only country worldwide to officially ban girls from secondary education, a policy affecting over 1.1 million female students and drawing more international condemnation than any other education restriction on this list. The ban, enforced since 2021, has erased 30% of the country's secondary school enrollment for girls, creating a generation denied basic learning opportunities. Compared to #8 India's National Education Policy 2020, which introduces mother-tongue instruction, this policy represents a complete reversal of educational access, making it uniquely severe in scope and human impact.