Zan News: The European Parliament has passed a resolution labeling the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan as "gender apartheid" and urged the European Union to support the recognition of this situation as a crime against humanity. File photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain European Parliament Calls for Recognition of Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan as a Crime Against Humanity September 21, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The European Parliament has passed a resolution labeling the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan as "gender apartheid" and urged the European Union to support the recognition of this situation as a crime against humanity. The resolution was passed with 565 votes in favor, eight against, and 43 abstentions in the European Parliament. The resolution condemns the Taliban's enforcement of the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice law, stating that it has further deprived Afghan women and girls of their fundamental rights and freedoms, equating the situation to "gender apartheid." The European Parliament emphasized that the implementation of this law and other Taliban directives have resulted in the exclusion of women from public life, forced and early marriages, and their exposure to sexual violence. Members of the European Parliament also praised the courage of Afghan women and called for new EU sanctions against the Taliban. They criticized countries that are normalizing relations with the Taliban and emphasized the importance of meaningful participation of Afghan women in international forums and negotiations. It is worth noting that since returning to power, the Taliban have imposed severe restrictions on women, depriving them of the right to education and work. A month ago, Taliban leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada approved the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice law, which considers women's voices as "awrah" (something to be concealed), prohibiting them from being heard outside their homes.

Zan News: The Afghanistan Journalists Support Organization and the Afghanistan Journalists Center have condemned the Taliban's suspension of Radio Begum's broadcasts, calling it a sign of the suppression of freedom of expression and the restriction of free flow of information in the country. Illustration: Zan TV / AI-generated Condemnation of the Suspension of Radio Begum; Taliban Attempting to Silence Diverse Voices in Afghanistan February 5, 2025 Zan News Zan News: The Afghanistan Journalists Support Organization and the Afghanistan Journalists Center have condemned the Taliban's suspension of Radio Begum's broadcasts, calling it a sign of the suppression of freedom of expression and the restriction of free flow of information in the country. These organizations, in separate statements issued on Tuesday (February 4), called for respect for journalists' rights and an end to pressure on independent media. The Afghanistan Journalists Support Organization, in its statement, emphasized that the suspension of Radio Begum is part of a broader crackdown on free media and an attempt to silence diverse voices in Afghanistan. The organization added: "We call on the relevant authorities (Taliban) to respect the principle of freedom of expression, which is a fundamental right guaranteed by Afghan laws and international documents, and to refrain from shutting down media outlets and restricting the free flow of information." The Afghanistan Journalists Center, in a separate statement, described the suspension of Radio Begum's broadcasts as a violation of the country's media law and an action aimed at suppressing the activities of free media. The center urged Taliban officials to reconsider their decision and allow Radio Begum to continue its operations in accordance with media laws. According to statistics from the Afghanistan Journalists Center, at least 18 news outlets have been shut down in the past 12 months due to direct orders from Taliban officials or imposed restrictions. These statistics highlight a concerning trend of media suppression and violations of freedom of expression in Afghanistan. It is worth noting that the Taliban's Ministry of Information and Culture announced yesterday that Radio Begum's broadcasts have been suspended due to "violations of broadcasting policies." In a press release, the ministry claimed that Radio Begum had abused its activity license and committed broadcasting violations. However, sources reported that Taliban intelligence agents and employees of the Ministry of Information and Culture raided Radio Begum's office in Kabul yesterday. After conducting a search, they confiscated computers, hard drives, documents, and mobile phones belonging to female journalists and two male employees. These employees did not hold any senior management positions. This comes as the Taliban, since regaining control of Afghanistan, has imposed extensive restrictions on media and journalists, repeatedly detaining journalists and blocking media outlets in various parts of the country. This approach has faced widespread condemnation from domestic and international organizations advocating for freedom of expression.

Zan News: Credible sources report that the Taliban have announced a ban on girls’ education in private health institutes until further notice. File photo: U.S. Department of Defense / DVIDS / Public Domain Taliban Ban Girls’ Education in Health Institutes Until Further Notice December 3, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Credible sources report that the Taliban have announced a ban on girls’ education in private health institutes until further notice. According to these sources, this directive was communicated to private institutes officials by Taliban authorities on Monday (December 2). A source confirmed to the media that the Taliban’s Ministry of Higher Education told to health institutes officials that the order was issued by Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban leader. As per the directive, girls are prohibited from studying "midwifery, nursing, and other medical fields" by the order of Hibatullah, effective immediately and until further notice. This is while the Taliban have banned girls from going to school and university for more than three years.

Zan News: According to the latest update from the World Food Programme (WFP), three million children in Afghanistan are suffering from malnutrition. File photo: U.S. Department of Defense / DVIDS / Public Domain Nutrition Crisis Catastrophe in Afghanistan: Three Million Children Suffer from Malnutrition May 28, 2024 Zan News Zan News: According to the latest update from the World Food Programme (WFP), three million children in Afghanistan are suffering from malnutrition. The organization made these statements on its X page on Tuesday (May 28) on the occasion of "World Nutrition Day." Of these three million children, the organization has only been able to reach 1.3 million of them. According to the organization, poverty, the financial crisis, and the deteriorating humanitarian situation are the main factors that have put Afghan children at risk of malnutrition. The WFP had previously announced that 2.3 million pregnant women in Afghanistan are also suffering from malnutrition. United Nations statistics show that currently, more than a third of Afghanistan's population is facing food shortages. This comes as poverty, hunger, and a decrease in financial assistance have increased under Taliban rule in Afghanistan.

Zan News: The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported that the number of individuals in need of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan is steadily increasing, with 23 million people currently requiring help. File photo: Staff Sgt. Russell Lee Klika / U.S. Army National Guard / Public Domain Number of People in Need of Humanitarian Assistance in Afghanistan Rises to 23 Million October 27, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported that the number of individuals in need of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan is steadily increasing, with 23 million people currently requiring help. OCHA stated in a report that Afghanistan has faced relentless challenges and profound, widespread, and persistent humanitarian impacts over the past decade. According to OCHA, Afghan citizens have been grappling with conflicts, political instability, drought, earthquakes, food insecurity, displacements, the COVID-19 pandemic, lack of healthcare, chronic poverty, and increasing deprivation and vulnerability among women and girls. The agency noted that the past decade has been "hard" for the people of Afghanistan, and with the return of Taliban rule, poverty and hunger have escalated, exacerbating the political, social, cultural, and economic crises facing the country.

Zan News: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) states that the imposition of Taliban ideology on media in Afghanistan has increased unprecedentedly, referring the suspension of three audio media outlets in Khost province. Illustration: Zan TV / AI-generated Reporters Without Borders: The Imposition of Taliban Ideology on Media in Afghanistan Has Increased November 16, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) states that the imposition of Taliban ideology on media in Afghanistan has increased unprecedentedly, referring the suspension of three audio media outlets in Khost province. In a statement released on Friday (15 November), the organization emphasized that over the past two weeks, the Taliban had suspended the activities of three radio stations in Khost, accusing them of violating the group's new "Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice" law. The statement reads: "The crackdown on local radios in Khost reflects the increase of Taliban-imposed ideologies on the media." It is noted that, in the past two weeks, broadcasts from Gharghasht, Long, and Zhaman radios in Khost have been stopped by the Taliban. Among these, Gharghasht and Long radios have been allowed to resume their activities, provided they comply with the Taliban’s regulations. Reporters Without Borders has called on the Taliban’s Minister of Information and Culture to end the "oppression and pressure" the group is exerting on freedom of information. Sallya Mercy, the South Asia director of the organization, added: "Since their return to Afghanistan, the Taliban have carried out a brutal crackdown on the country’s media, silencing all independent voices and plunging the country into a silence created by fear." In recent months, the Taliban has intensified its restrictions on journalists and media. The group has repeatedly asked media officials to broadcast content supporting the Taliban regime. Earlier, international organizations supporting journalists had expressed concerns about the Taliban's increased restrictions on journalists and media.

Zan News: Continuing their restrictions on media in Afghanistan, the Taliban have recently ordered local media in Badakhshan, Baghlan, and Nimruz provinces to refrain from broadcasting images of living beings. Illustration: Zan TV / AI-generated Tightening Media Restrictions: Taliban Bans Broadcasting of Images of Living Beings in Three More Provinces March 29, 2025 Zan News Zan News: Continuing their restrictions on media in Afghanistan, the Taliban have recently ordered local media in Badakhshan, Baghlan, and Nimruz provinces to refrain from broadcasting images of living beings. According to a statement released by the Afghanistan Journalists Center, with the implementation of this ban in three additional provinces, the total number of provinces where the broadcasting of images of living beings is prohibited has increased to 10. The statement noted that the Taliban have instructed media officials in these three provinces that broadcasting images of living beings is forbidden in accordance with the Taliban's Law on Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice. Based on the Afghanistan Journalists Center’s review, this ban had previously been officially enforced in Kandahar, Takhar, Badghis, Helmand, Nangarhar, Nuristan, and Farah provinces. Although restrictions have been somewhat relaxed in some of these provinces, their expansion to new areas has raised further concerns. Meanwhile, the Freedom of Expression House, in response to this decision, described the ban on broadcasting images of living beings in Badakhshan, Baghlan, and Nimruz as part of a broader media censorship effort. In a statement, the organization argued that the Taliban are tactically exploiting media activities in both the capital and the provinces for their propaganda purposes and warned that enforcing this directive could lead to a complete ban on broadcasting images of living beings across all provinces. The Freedom of Expression House emphasized that this decision is a blatant violation of freedom of expression and the public’s right to access information, calling on international organizations, media rights defenders, and human rights activists to respond to this Taliban measure. The Afghanistan Journalists Center also expressed concern over the expanding restrictions and warned about the consequences of media suppression. According to the center, the ban on broadcasting images of living beings excludes television stations from the news dissemination process and imposes additional restrictions on other media, particularly radio stations that operate on social networks. The center has urged decision-makers in Kandahar and the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice to reconsider the order banning the broadcasting of images of living beings and to lift other media restrictions, thereby providing journalists with an environment to operate freely and without fear.

Zan News: The UN Women’s Asia and the Pacific Section, in a newly released report, has stated that Afghanistan is the only country where girls are banned from education and women are barred from work. It's high time for the international community to break its silence on this "harsh injustice" and reconsider its approach. File photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain UN: It's Time for the International Community to Break Its Silence on the Taliban's Harsh Injustice Against Women August 4, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The UN Women’s Asia and the Pacific Section, in a newly released report, has stated that Afghanistan is the only country where girls are banned from education and women are barred from work. It's high time for the international community to break its silence on this "harsh injustice" and reconsider its approach. The report, titled "The Silenced Voices of Afghan Women," states that the Taliban, similar to their first period of rule, have imposed restrictive policies on women and girls. The report states that women experienced violations of their rights during the Taliban's first rule from 1996 to 2001 and were deprived of their basic rights. According to the organization, girls in Afghanistan are banned from going to school and women have been removed from most professions. The only limited role considered for women is in the health care sector. The UN Women’s Asia and the Pacific Section has emphasized that the Taliban have taken away women's social freedoms and have imposed "compulsory burqa requirements" and severe restrictions on women's mobility and access to healthcare. Expressing regret over the situation of women in Afghanistan, the organization said, "Imagine living in a country where your only desire is to have access to education and work." The report states that thousands of families in Afghanistan have no male breadwinners and women are deprived of the right to work. This situation has put families in serious economic difficulties. The UN Women’s Asia and the Pacific Section added that they are ready to defend human rights under any circumstances, just like the hardships that women endure under Taliban rule. The organization concluded its report by stating, "Women have endured injustice and inequality for years and continue to fight. The resistance of Afghan women ensures that we will never give up."

Zan News: Amnesty International, coinciding with the start of the new academic year in Afghanistan, has called the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education “unjustifiable” and labeled it a blatant violation of human rights. File photo: Sgt. Ken Scar / DVIDS / Public Domain Amnesty International: Taliban’s Ban on Girls’ Education in Afghanistan Is Unjustifiable March 22, 2025 Zan News Zan News: Amnesty International, coinciding with the start of the new academic year in Afghanistan, has called the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education “unjustifiable” and labeled it a blatant violation of human rights. On Saturday (22 March), the organization stated in a message on X: “The new academic year has begun in Afghanistan, but girls above the sixth grade remain deprived of education.” Amnesty International has urged people worldwide to sign a petition demanding the international community hold the Taliban accountable. This comes as the Taliban, since seizing control of Afghanistan, have imposed sweeping restrictions on women and girls, banning education for girls above the sixth grade. With the start of the 1404 solar year (2023–2024), secondary and high schools remain closed to girls for the fourth consecutive year.

Zan News: The international organization Global Issue has stated in a recent report that the Taliban continue to systematically suppress women and target expressions of their independence and identity—even within their own homes. File photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain Global Issue Organization: Taliban View Women’s Cosmetics as a Threat to Their Rule April 10, 2025 Zan News Zan News: The international organization Global Issue has stated in a recent report that the Taliban continue to systematically suppress women and target expressions of their independence and identity—even within their own homes. According to the report, published this week, the Taliban regard women’s cosmetics as a threat to their authority. They have raided homes, confiscating personal belongings and beauty products from female beauticians, thereby jeopardizing their personal safety. Global Issue highlighted in its report that following the official closure of beauty salons across Afghanistan, the Taliban began inspecting homes suspected of secretly offering beauty services to women. The report notes that in February of this year, Taliban moral police raided several homes in Sar-e Pol province, confiscated all cosmetic items, and issued threats to their owners. Criticizing these actions, Global Issue wrote: “The Taliban consider women a threat to their desired system. Even the simplest use of cosmetics is seen by the Taliban as a symbol of women’s independence and personal agency—something they are determined to eliminate.” This comes after the Taliban, in July 2023, issued an order for the closure of all women’s beauty salons across the country.