In the midst of ongoing geopolitical conflict, children are often the most invisible victims, going without reliable access to education or even a sense of routine. Such is the case in Afghanistan, where only about 1 million kids went to school in 2002. Of course, most of those children were male, meaning very few female students had access to learning.

Thanks to the cooperative efforts of Afghani government officials, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and other donors, Afghanistan has successfully rebounded from this educational drought with new schools and an improved youth literacy rate.

As of 2018, more than 9 million children are attending school, nearly half of which are girls, USAID reports.

The news is just as good when it comes to the country’s attendance rates in higher education. Over the course of 17 years, the rate of college-age students seeking higher degrees increased from 1% to about 10%, with women representing a third of that population. By all accounts, educational standards in Afghanistan are improving.

Read the source article on educational opportunities for girls in Afghanistan by Kate Ryan at GOOD Magazine