Nearly half of all Afghan children are missing out on school due to conflict, poverty, child marriage and discrimination against girls, according to a report released Saturday by humanitarian organizations. Girls are disproportionately affected, accounting for 60 percent of those denied access to education. In the worst affected provinces, up to 85 percent of girls do not attend class. The report, conducted by USAID, UNICEF and independent think-tank Samuel Hall, found that as many as 3.7 million children between the ages of 7 and 17 are not attending class.
