A significant number of girls under the age of eighteen are out of educational institutions relative to their male counterparts in the country of Afghanistan. Many factors such as poverty, violence, harmful gender norms, the normalcy of child marriages and exploitation are keeping girls out of school. If current restrictions fueled by these factors as well as the Taliban’s abuse of power continue to hinder girls’ access to a fair and equitable education, a substantial number of girls will be unable to foster the skills necessary to contribute to their livelihood as individuals as well as the socio-economic and political future of the country. Based on a thorough analysis of interviews with refugee girls from Afghanistan, peer-reviewed research and matrix analyses, I recommend the establishment of community-based educational programs through international organizations. While many other alternatives would likely reduce the number of girls out of school; time and financial support were significantly important in the diagnosis. The cost-effectivenesses, quick turnaround time, quality of education and implementation of safety that is evident in past models of community-based educational programs were dominant tradeoffs that informed this recommendation. Restricting girls’ educational access not only impacts them but the future of Afghanistan and its stability as an entirety. Without an education, girls’ roles and values in society continue to be undermined across various economic, social, and political spheres.
