Zan News: The UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan is scheduled to be held this evening, Wednesday (18 September), at the UN headquarters. File photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan to be held today September 18, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan is scheduled to be held this evening, Wednesday (18 September), at the UN headquarters. According to a UNAMA statement, the meeting will be held at 6:30 PM Kabul time. In this meeting, Roza Otunbayeva, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of UNAMA, will speak about the situation in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. It is expected that Ms. Otunbayeva will discuss the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan under Taliban control and human rights violations. It is worth mentioning that the UN Security Council last met on Afghanistan on the June. This meeting is being held as the Taliban, after returning to power in Afghanistan, have imposed severe restrictions on women and girls. Girls above the sixth grade are banned from education, and female students are prohibited from attending universities and private educational institutions. The Taliban have also barred women from working in non-governmental organizations and UN offices, traveling without a male guardian, and even entering sports clubs and restaurants. The UN and the international community have repeatedly called for the lifting of these restrictions over the past three years, but the Taliban have not responded to these requests. The new Taliban law also labels women’s voices as “awrah,” which has sparked strong international reactions.

Zan News - Kabul: Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid recently announced that a delegation from the group will attend the third round of the Doha meeting regarding Afghanistan. File photo: Leif Jørgensen / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Taliban: We Will Participate in the Third Doha Meeting June 16, 2024 Zan News Zan News - Kabul: Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid recently announced that a delegation from the group will attend the third round of the Doha meeting regarding Afghanistan. On Sunday (June 16), Mujahid told the media that the upcoming Doha meeting is considered beneficial for the group and they are ready to participate. The Taliban spokesperson added that the composition of the group’s delegation for the Doha meeting will be announced soon. Mujahid did not provide further details on the agenda of the meeting but emphasized that attracting humanitarian aid and creating opportunities for investment in Afghanistan are important in this meeting. This announcement comes after the Taliban's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, following repeated requests from the United Nations for their presence at the third Doha meeting, stated that they would make their final decision after reviewing the agenda of the meeting. The Taliban did not participate in the previous two rounds of the Doha meetings on Afghanistan. The third Doha meeting is scheduled to be held later this month in Qatar.

In a world full of human rights slogans, education is still not a right but a conditional privilege for many children, especially girls. For Afghan girls, this privilege is now more threatened than ever before, both under the shadow of the Taliban in Afghanistan and under the sunlight of discrimination in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Two systems, two ideologies, but one shared goal: the systematic denial of Afghan children’s right to education. File photo: Sgt. Ken Scar / DVIDS / Public Domain From Kabul to Tehran: A Joint War Against the Education of Afghan Girls April 21, 2025 Tamim Attaiy In a world full of human rights slogans, education is still not a right but a conditional privilege for many children, especially girls. For Afghan girls, this privilege is now more threatened than ever before, both under the shadow of the Taliban in Afghanistan and under the sunlight of discrimination in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Two systems, two ideologies, but one shared goal: the systematic denial of Afghan children’s right to education. The Policy of Elimination: From Kabul to Tehran The Education Department of Tehran’s counties recently issued an official notice declaring that Afghan refugee students who hold census slips or return-to-Afghanistan papers are no longer allowed to enroll in schools in Iran for the 1404 academic year. This announcement clearly indicates that the Iranian government has decided to effectively remove thousands of Afghan refugee children from its formal education system. The text of this directive states that school principals should not only refuse to enroll these students but also must not refer their families to the Department of Education for further assistance. Such a decision gives this discrimination a completely formal and legal face and, in effect, closes the doors of education to Afghan children. Many of these children left Afghanistan with nothing but hope for an education. Girls: The Perpetual Victims According to official statistics, more than two million Afghan refugees in Iran possess census slips. Among them, around 610,000 students have been enrolled in Iranian schools. It is now unclear how many of these students will be deprived of their right to education due to this new decision. What is clear, however, is the rapid collapse of educational rights for Afghans in a country that claims to uphold Islamic justice. Afghan girls are once again the first victims. In Afghanistan, the Taliban closed the doors of schools to them. Now in Iran, they are losing even the chance to register. Families who endured hardship and risked everything through migration for the future of their children are now faced with locked doors, closed and sealed by official order. The Taliban and the Islamic Republic: Two Paths, One Destination The Taliban, with a rigid and extremist interpretation of religion, declared school forbidden for girls. The Islamic Republic of Iran, using administrative and legal procedures, achieves the same result without the need for an official announcement banning girls' education. Both ultimately arrive at the same conclusion: preventing the intellectual growth and empowerment of the young Afghan generation, especially girls. This unspoken yet obvious alignment is a serious warning for the international community and human rights organizations. If the Taliban, in the name of religion, and Iran, in the name of law, are depriving children of education, then what difference remains between the two? Education: The Last Remaining Stronghold In a world where Afghan refugees face waves of inequality, discrimination, and violence, education remains the last stronghold of hope. A child who holds a pen might be able to break the chains of discrimination. But when that very pen is taken away, the future becomes dark not only for the child but for an entire society. Preventing children from accessing education, especially based on ethnicity or documentation status, is a blatant violation of human rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and even the fundamental principles of Islam. Yet in the face of this clear violation, not only do international organizations remain silent, but their indifferent silence has itself become a form of complicity. An End to Injustice? Afghan girls in Kabul were pushed out of school after sixth grade. Afghan girls in Tehran are deprived of the right to register before even entering the classroom. And families who were searching for a way to save their children’s future now find themselves trapped once again, this time by policy, cruelty, and injustice. When education, the most basic human right, is taken from an Afghan child, what justice is left to talk about?

Zan News: The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has released a new report on the widespread and concerning impacts of the Taliban’s Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice law on the daily lives of Afghan citizens. File photo: Sgt. Ken Scar / DVIDS / Public Domain UNAMA: The Taliban's Promotion of Virtue Law Has Turned the Public Education System into a Religious Schools System April 10, 2025 Zan News Zan News: The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has released a new report on the widespread and concerning impacts of the Taliban’s Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice law on the daily lives of Afghan citizens. This report, published on Thursday (April 10), is the result of six months of impartial and regular monitoring by UNAMA and examines the effects of this law’s enforcement on various aspects of the lives of Afghan people. UNAMA states that six months after the implementation of the law, Taliban officials have carried out more organized efforts to enforce it. According to the report, 3,300 enforcers have been appointed by the Ministry of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice across 28 provinces, with special powers to implement the law. The report indicates that the enforcement of this law has led to the restriction of individual and social freedoms in Afghanistan, with citizens, despite having specific rights, being treated as "subjugated individuals." The organization emphasizes that the Taliban’s Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice law has had far-reaching consequences on work, education, health, media, and economic activities, further exacerbating the country’s economic crisis. Based on the findings of the report, the law has violated individuals' privacy in public spaces, led to an increase in arbitrary detentions, confiscation of property, the gradual replacement of educated professionals in ministries with Taliban-affiliated religious scholars, and the gradual expulsion of ethnic and religious minorities from positions of power and economic opportunities. Furthermore, UNAMA has warned that this law has resulted in the transformation of the public education system into a religious schools system. The report also adds that the enforcement of this law has weakened the ability of UN agencies and aid organizations to support those in need, and has intensified in the northern provinces, where resistance to these actions is more likely.

Zan News: Local sources in Kunar province report that the Taliban have closed two educational centers for girls in the province until further notice. File photo: Sgt. Ken Scar / DVIDS / Public Domain Taliban Close Two Educational Centers for Girls in Kunar Province November 10, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Local sources in Kunar province report that the Taliban have closed two educational centers for girls in the province until further notice. According to sources, these two centers were shut down last Wednesday in the Ghaziabad district. The centers were operating with financial support from the aid organization "Gates." At these centers, female teachers provided both religious and modern education to girls who had graduated from the 12th grade. The Taliban warned the officials of these centers that they would face severe punishment if they did not comply with this order. Additionally, another source stated that the Taliban had requested money from the officials in exchange for allowing these centers to operate. So far, local Taliban authorities in Kunar have not made any statements on this matter. It is worth noting that since the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan, girls have been deprived of their right to education. Previously, there have been reports of the Taliban shutting down girls' educational centers in various parts of the country.

Zan News: Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, stated that the absence of a firm and coordinated response from the international community has given the Taliban more courage to violate human rights. File photo: Leif Jørgensen / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Bennett: Lack of Firm Global Response Has Emboldened the Taliban November 5, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, stated that the absence of a firm and coordinated response from the international community has given the Taliban more courage to violate human rights. In a note published on Monday (November 4), Bennett emphasized that three years after the Taliban’s takeover, the human rights situation in Afghanistan has further deteriorated. He called for a comprehensive and practical plan from the international community to counter the Taliban's policies. Referring to the Taliban's continuous oppression of women and girls and gender-based harassment, he added that the “gender apartheid” under the Taliban’s rule must be recognized. The note stated, “Justice, equality, and the rule of law are being systematically disregarded.” Bennett also pointed out that civil society, journalists, ethnic and religious minorities, and former government employees continue to face threats from the Taliban. The Special Rapporteur urged the Taliban to repeal their repressive and discriminatory policies and to respect the fundamental rights of the Afghan people. Additionally, Bennett called on other countries to refrain from engaging with the Taliban until they uphold human rights. Earlier, Canada’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan warned that if the Taliban do not respect human rights, they will be referred to the International Court of Justice.

Zan News: Volker Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has stated that women and girls in Afghanistan are facing a relentless erosion of their rights. File photo: Leif Jørgensen / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Volker Türk: Afghan Women Face Relentless Erosion of Their Rights November 30, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Volker Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has stated that women and girls in Afghanistan are facing a relentless erosion of their rights. On Friday (November 29), in a video message shared on X as part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, Türk emphasized that Afghan women's freedom of movement, expression, education, and work has been severely restricted. He described the Taliban's policies as "blatant oppression of half the population" and "self-inflicted harm on a national scale," calling on the group to immediately revoke their discriminatory policies. These remarks come as Afghan women, under Taliban rule, have been stripped of their rights to education and work and subjected to severe restrictions. Previously, Karen Decker, the U.S. Chargé d'Affaires for Afghanistan, also stressed that if the Taliban seek better relations with the rest of the world, they must first establish better relations with their own people—both women and men.

Zan News: On the occasion of World Health Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that in Afghanistan, a woman dies every two minutes during pregnancy or childbirth. File photo: U.S. Department of Defense / DVIDS / Public Domain WHO: In Afghanistan, a Woman Dies Every Two Minutes During Pregnancy or Childbirth April 7, 2025 Zan News Zan News: On the occasion of World Health Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that in Afghanistan, a woman dies every two minutes during pregnancy or childbirth. On Monday (April 7), the organization published a message on its X page, calling on its international partners to help ensure equal access to healthcare in Afghanistan. The WHO representative in Afghanistan emphasized the importance of a “healthy start and a hopeful future,” as well as universal health coverage. According to him, given the needs of millions of people for care and support, it is essential to guarantee quality healthcare systems for all—especially for women and children.

Zan News: The Ministry of Information and Culture of the Taliban announced that permits for the resumption of operations for Radio Begum and Radio Jawanan have been issued. Illustration: Zan TV / AI-generated Taliban Issue License for the Resumption of Radio Begum and Radio Jawanan February 23, 2025 Zan News Zan News: The Ministry of Information and Culture of the Taliban announced that permits for the resumption of operations for Radio Begum and Radio Jawanan have been issued. The ministry stated in a release yesterday, Saturday (22 February), that these media outlets had previously been shut down due to "misuse of operational permits" and collaboration with sanctioned media. According to the release, after the officials of these media outlets reapplied and committed to adhering to the Taliban's "policies," permits for their resumption were issued. It is noteworthy that the Taliban had previously halted the operations of Radio Begum and detained two employees of the outlet. Since regaining control of Afghanistan, the Taliban has extensively restricted media activities and has detained or threatened dozens of journalists.

Zan News: The United Nations Office in Geneva and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), in response to the public execution of an individual in Paktia province, have called for the immediate cessation of executions and other physical punishments by the Taliban. File photo: Leif Jørgensen / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Public Execution in Paktia; UN Calls for Immediate Halt to Executions and Other Physical Punishments by Taliban November 14, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The United Nations Office in Geneva and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), in response to the public execution of an individual in Paktia province, have called for the immediate cessation of executions and other physical punishments by the Taliban. The UN Office in Geneva expressed concern over the increase in executions and the deterioration of human rights conditions in Afghanistan, stressing that such actions contradict Afghanistan's international human rights obligations. The office stated: "Despite international calls for the respect of human rights, Taliban authorities have once again implemented public executions, lashings, and other forms of corporal punishment." Meanwhile, Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, described the execution as "horrific" and a blatant violation of human rights, calling for an immediate end to such punishments. In a message posted on social media platform X, he said: "I urge the Taliban to immediately stop these brutal punishments, which are clear violations of human rights." It is noteworthy that yesterday, the Taliban executed a man accused of "premeditated murder" in the central stadium of Gardez city, the capital of Paktia province, in public. The execution was carried out in the presence of Sirajuddin Haqqani, the acting Taliban Minister of Interior, Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani, the acting Minister of Refugees, and several other Taliban officials, as well as a large gathering of people. This was the sixth public execution carried out by the Taliban since their return to power in Afghanistan. The group has previously executed one person in Farah, two in Ghazni, one in Laghman, and one in Jowzjan in public.