The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights says Taliban restrictions on women have placed Afghanistan among the countries with the highest maternal mortality rates.

On September 8, the world once again marked International Literacy Day; a day that reminds us of the fundamental right of every human being to read and write. But in Afghanistan, where the Taliban have banned girls’ education through their decrees, this day has become less a celebration and more a reminder of silence and repression.

On the occasion of International Literacy Day, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) emphasized the necessity of universal access to education, especially for women and girls.

One week after the deadly earthquake in eastern Afghanistan, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that this disaster has so far claimed more than 2,200 lives, injured 3,640 people, and destroyed nearly 6,800 houses. In the mountainous areas with difficult access, search operations for survivors and the delivery of urgent assistance are still ongoing.