Zan News: The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says that due to global funding cuts, it is facing a severe shortage of life-saving therapeutic foods (RUTF) in Afghanistan. File photo: U.S. Department of Defense / DVIDS / Public Domain UNICEF: Global Funding Cuts Threaten the Lives of Malnourished Children in Afghanistan April 17, 2025 Zan News Zan News: The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says that due to global funding cuts, it is facing a severe shortage of life-saving therapeutic foods (RUTF) in Afghanistan. Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF’s Representative in Afghanistan, stated in a message published on the social media platform X on Thursday, April 17, that in 2025, around 3.5 million children under the age of five in Afghanistan will suffer from malnutrition. According to him, of these, 1.5 million children are at risk of severe acute malnutrition and require urgent support to save their lives. This comes after the World Food Programme had also warned that Afghanistan is facing the most severe child malnutrition crisis in its history. The organization previously stated that 3.5 million children in Afghanistan would suffer from malnutrition this year.

Zan News: Coinciding with International Women’s Day, the European Union’s delegation in Afghanistan has announced the launch of a five-day campaign in solidarity with Afghan women. File photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain European Union Launches Five-Day Campaign in Solidarity with Afghan Women March 8, 2025 Zan News Zan News: Coinciding with International Women’s Day, the European Union’s delegation in Afghanistan has announced the launch of a five-day campaign in solidarity with Afghan women. On Saturday (March 8), the EU praised the courage and resilience of Afghan women and girls, emphasizing its commitment to supporting them in education, healthcare, and economic initiatives. The EU stated: "To demonstrate our solidarity, we are launching a campaign across five key areas." This initiative comes as the Taliban, since their return to power in 2021, have deprived Afghan women and girls of their fundamental rights, including access to education, employment, and personal freedoms.

Zan News: Amnesty International has said that the Taliban have prohibited women’s voices from being heard by other women. File photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain Amnesty International: The Taliban Have Banned Women’s Voices from Being Heard by Other Women October 31, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Amnesty International has said that the Taliban have prohibited women’s voices from being heard by other women. In a post on their X account last night (October 30), the organization stated that following the ban on women's presence in public places, the Taliban have now silenced their voices as well. Amnesty International clarified: "After banning women from speaking in public places, the Taliban have now prohibited them from reading aloud." The organization emphasized that these restrictions have affected all aspects of women's lives in Afghanistan. Amnesty International has also called for the immediate lifting of all restrictions on women's lives imposed by the Taliban. It is worth noting that previously, The Telegraph reported, quoting Khalid Hanafi, the Taliban's Minister of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, that the loud voices of adult women would be banned in the country, and these laws would gradually be enforced among the citizens. The Taliban consider women's voices, faces, and presence in public places as a crime.

Zan News: The Women's Committee of the Afghanistan Journalists Support Organization has stated in first six-month report of the solar year 1403 that the human rights situation in the country has deteriorated. File photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain Afghanistan Journalists Support Organization: Human Rights Situation in the Country Has Worsened October 9, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The Women's Committee of the Afghanistan Journalists Support Organization has stated in first six-month report of the solar year 1403 that the human rights situation in the country has deteriorated. The organization released this report on Wednesday (October 9), stating that it had obtained information about the increasing violation of human rights by the Taliban through distributing online questionnaires to Afghan women both inside and outside the country. According to the report, 93.5% of respondents believe that the human rights situation has worsened in the first six months of this year. A total of 107 Afghan women participated in this survey; 91 of them live in 19 provinces of Afghanistan and 17 others live abroad. According to the organization's information, 62.6% of respondents have witnessed violence or violations of their fundamental rights by the Taliban. Approximately 70% of those who have been subjected to violence have refrained from providing evidence due to fear and security challenges. Additionally, 92.5% of respondents predicted that the human rights situation would worsen in the next six months. However, 37% of survey participants stated that their rights had not been violated. The Women's Committee of the Afghanistan Journalists Support Organization emphasized that since the Taliban regained power, Afghan women and girls have been deprived of their basic rights, including the right to education and work. The organization also pointed out that the international community has only condemned the violation of human rights in the country by the Taliban, but these condemnations have not yielded positive results. According to the report, international human rights organizations have consistently called for increased pressure on the Taliban to respect women's rights, but the international community's response has been limited. The organization believes that only sustained support from the international community can "reverse the Taliban's cruel policies" against Afghan women. This report comes as some international organizations have previously expressed concern about the deteriorating human rights situation in the country.

Zan News: The Afghanistan Journalists Center reports that an order banning the publication of images of living beings has been issued to media and journalists in Helmand province, and the province's visual media is on the verge of complete closure. Illustration: Zan TV / AI-generated Ban on Publishing Images of Living Beings; Visual Media in Helmand on the Verge of Closure October 26, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The Afghanistan Journalists Center reports that an order banning the publication of images of living beings has been issued to media and journalists in Helmand province, and the province's visual media is on the verge of complete closure. A local source in Helmand told the Afghanistan Journalists Center that this order was officially issued last week, on Thursday (24 October), by Shir Mohammad Wahdat, the head of information at the Taliban's Information and Culture Department in Helmand. Wahdat emphasized that according to the law on promoting virtue and preventing vice, taking pictures and conducting video interviews is prohibited, and media outlets are only allowed to operate in written and audio formats. Following this order, Helmand National Television and the private "Sabawon" television station are on the verge of closure. Noting that Helmand was the first province to ban photography for a month in 2022 and then lift it, the Afghanistan Journalists Center added that it was also the first province to ban the broadcasting of women's voices in media, even in advertisements and health messages, in August 2023. It is worth mentioning that Helmand is the fourth province where the publication of images of living beings has been banned, and this restriction has previously been implemented in the provinces of Badghis, Takhar, and Kandahar. Similar restrictions have been imposed in the provinces of Logar, Maidan Wardak, and Daikundi. The Afghanistan Journalists Center has condemned this order and warned of the spread of these restrictions to other provinces. The organization stated that this order could have devastating consequences for the media and lead to the closure of television stations. The Afghanistan Journalists Center described this Taliban action as "extremely regressive and illogical" and called on the Taliban leader to reconsider this decision. According to the Taliban's law on promoting virtue and preventing vice, the publication of images of living beings is prohibited, and Taliban agents are allowed to prevent the publication of such images in the media.

Zan News: The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has again criticized the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education in medical institutes, calling it an action with “disastrous consequences.” File photo: U.S. Department of Defense / DVIDS / Public Domain OCHA: Ban on Girls’ Education in Medical Institutes Will Deepen Afghanistan’s Healthcare Crisis March 16, 2025 Zan News Zan News: The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has again criticized the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education in medical institutes, calling it an action with “disastrous consequences.” In a recent report, OCHA warned that the continuation of this situation will deepen Afghanistan’s healthcare crisis and endanger the health of mothers and newborns. The agency added: “This ban not only threatens women’s access to education in medical fields such as midwifery, nursing, dental prosthetics, and laboratory work but also creates serious challenges for women in healthcare delivery and jeopardizes the adaptation and sustainability of health programs in the long term.” OCHA emphasized that the ban on girls’ education in medical institutes has directly impacted 45,000 female students. According to the report, 4,500 girls recently graduated from these fields, and 9,800 others were on the verge of graduation. The agency warned that the Taliban’s decision will reduce the number of female healthcare professionals and further restrict women’s access to medical care. OCHA’s report states that Afghanistan is among the countries with the highest maternal mortality rates, and this ban could worsen conditions. The agency estimates that over 620 mothers die per 100,000 live births—nearly triple the global average. Additionally, more than 24 infants per 1,000 live births in Afghanistan lose their lives. OCHA reaffirmed its commitment to “continue collaborating with partners to improve health conditions and deliver healthcare services to Afghan citizens, particularly mothers and infants.”

Zan News: Amnesty International has stated in a statement that the repression of civil activists and journalists by the Taliban in Afghanistan is a "bitter reality." Illustration: Zan TV / AI-generated Amnesty International: Journalists and Civil Activists in Afghanistan Are Regularly Targeted October 22, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Amnesty International has stated in a statement that the repression of civil activists and journalists by the Taliban in Afghanistan is a "bitter reality." On Monday (October 21), Amnesty International released this statement, emphasizing that Afghanistan’s civil society has been "crushed" by the Taliban. The statement noted that "journalists, civil activists, and protesters are regularly targeted, with many forced into hiding or fleeing the country." Amnesty International also acknowledged that global pressure on the Taliban for the release of imprisoned civil activists to be effective and stressed the necessity of international support for human rights defenders. According to the statement, Afghan activists living in countries like Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey face serious financial difficulties and the risk of deportation. Since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, they have imposed severe restrictions on citizens, especially women and civil activists. A few days ago, Amnesty International also remarked that United Nations Human Rights Council resolutions are not adequately supporting the Afghan people.

Zan News: The World Food Programme (WFP) has stated that women in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan face limited opportunities to earn income. File photo: Staff Sgt. Russell Lee Klika / U.S. Army National Guard / Public Domain WFP: Women in Afghanistan Have Limited Opportunities to Earn Income October 2, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The World Food Programme (WFP) has stated that women in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan face limited opportunities to earn income. The agency expressed this issue in a statement on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday (October 2). In the statement, the WFP emphasized that it is working to help thousands of Afghan women who are often the sole breadwinners for their families. The statement reads: "The WFP is helping thousands of women across the country, who are mostly the sole breadwinners for their families, to learn new skills and become self-reliant." This comes as the Taliban, since regaining control of Afghanistan, have imposed severe restrictions on women and deprived them of the right to work. These restrictions have created serious economic challenges, especially for families where women are the breadwinners.

Zan News: The organization "Genocide Watch" has stated in its latest report that women and girls in Afghanistan are facing a bitter and concerning reality known as "gross violations of human rights" following the Taliban's takeover of the country. File photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain Genocide Watch: Women and Girls in Afghanistan Face Gross Violations of Human Rights October 17, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The organization "Genocide Watch" has stated in its latest report that women and girls in Afghanistan are facing a bitter and concerning reality known as "gross violations of human rights" following the Taliban's takeover of the country. The report emphasizes that the Taliban has severely restricted the rights and freedoms of women and girls by establishing a structure of "gender apartheid." It states: "Gender apartheid in Afghanistan is a gross violation of human rights and a betrayal of the country's people. The Taliban has created a society where women are treated as second-class citizens and are deprived of their fundamental freedoms." According to the organization, this situation has a devastating impact on the lives of women and girls in Afghanistan, stripping them of their human rights and essential freedoms. Genocide Watch further notes that the current situation has severely disrupted Afghanistan's progress as a nation, as women are essential for the social, economic, and political development of the country. The organization also highlights the exclusion of girls over the age of eleven from schools and the serious threats facing millions of women and girls, describing this state of affairs as the "erasure of women from public life" and a disregard for their abilities to contribute to the social and economic development of the country. The report emphasizes that the Taliban, through deceptive propaganda, attribute these restrictions to "traditional values" and are attempting to conceal the reality of "gender apartheid" as a cultural necessity. Genocide Watch also stresses the need for the international community to condemn the "gender apartheid policies" and to hold the Taliban accountable for their actions, calling for global solidarity in support of Afghan women and strengthening their voices in the fight against this "silent genocide." The organization points out that Afghanistan has now become a historical turning point for women's rights, highlighting the urgent need for international solidarity to address this "oppression."

Zan News: Afghan journalists in exile in Europe and North America have released a statement on the third anniversary of the Taliban's return to power, say that research conducted by them shows the Taliban have imprisoned at least 309 journalists in the past three years. Illustration: Zan TV / AI-generated Journalists in Exile: The Taliban Have Imprisoned 309 Journalists in the Past Three Years August 15, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Afghan journalists in exile in Europe and North America have released a statement on the third anniversary of the Taliban's return to power, say that research conducted by them shows the Taliban have imprisoned at least 309 journalists in the past three years. According to the statement, these figures represent only the officially confirmed cases, and the actual number could be higher. The statement also notes that the number of journalists and media workers arrested under Taliban rule is three times higher than the total number of such arrests during the 20-year republic period. According to Afghan journalists in exile, 163 cases of violence against journalists and media workers were recorded in 2022, 132 cases in 2023, and 117 cases in the first five months of the current solar year. The statement also highlights the unprecedented decline in the number of media outlets in Afghanistan, with only 35% of the previously active media outlets now operating. The number of female journalists has decreased by 95%, with only about 50 of the 1,800 female journalists from the republic era still working. Afghan journalists in exile have expressed deep concern about the state of freedom of expression in Afghanistan, stating that the Taliban have completely destroyed the greatest achievement of the previous regime, freedom of speech. They have called on the United Nations and international organizations supporting freedom of expression to support the Afghan media and document what is happening in the country.