Zan News: The U.S. Congress Human Rights Commission has reacted to the ongoing stringent restrictions imposed by the Taliban on Afghan women and girls, stating that their situation has significantly worsened since August 2021. File photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain U.S. Congress: Situation for Women and Girls in Afghanistan Has Significantly Worsened July 25, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The U.S. Congress Human Rights Commission has reacted to the ongoing stringent restrictions imposed by the Taliban on Afghan women and girls, stating that their situation has significantly worsened since August 2021. In a statement, the Commission said that the severe and "inhumane" restrictions by the Taliban have drastically reduced women's ability to participate in public life and the group's control over the private lives of Afghan women and girls has increased significantly. The U.S. Congress Human Rights Commission announced that it will soon hold a session regarding the situation of women in Afghanistan. The Commission has stated that Heather Barr, the Women's Rights Division Associate Director at Human Rights Watch, Mitra Mehran, a women's rights activist, and Wahida Amiri, one of Afghanistan's protesting women, have been invited to the session. It is worth mentioning that in nearly the past three years, the Taliban have imposed stringent restrictions on Afghan women and girls, including banning girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade, preventing women and girls from studying at universities and educational centers, barring women from working in national and international non-governmental organizations and even United Nations offices, and prohibiting women from attending gyms, restaurants, public baths, and traveling without a male guardian. United Nations experts have described these restrictions as a form of gender apartheid in Afghanistan.

Zan News: The Feminist Majority Foundation has issued a new report warning about the worsening state of women’s health in Afghanistan and calling for increased international pressure on the Taliban to ensure women’s rights and improve their access to healthcare services. File photo: DVIDS / Public Domain Feminist Majority Foundation: Taliban Policies Endanger Women's Health April 19, 2025 Zan News Zan News: The Feminist Majority Foundation has issued a new report warning about the worsening state of women’s health in Afghanistan and calling for increased international pressure on the Taliban to ensure women’s rights and improve their access to healthcare services. The report states that restrictions imposed by the Taliban, especially the requirement for a male guardian, have become a major barrier to women’s access to medical care and reproductive health services. The human rights foundation emphasized that "most women arrive at hospitals in critical condition, and sometimes it is not possible to help them because they are denied access to care in the absence of a male guardian." The Feminist Majority Foundation added that the Taliban’s disregard for women’s rights has led to a rise in maternal mortality across the country. This warning comes as the United Nations has predicted that by 2026, the risk of maternal death in Afghanistan could increase by up to 50 percent. In addition, following Donald Trump’s decision to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and begin the process of withdrawing the United States from the World Health Organization, humanitarian funding in Afghanistan has faced greater challenges. Moreover, since the Taliban came to power, the country’s healthcare sector has entered a serious crisis. Although the group has expressed a willingness to cooperate with foreign countries to strengthen the health system, its own restrictive policies, particularly toward women, remain a fundamental obstacle to the delivery of health services.

Zan News: The World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that approximately 12.4 million Afghan citizens have faced food insecurity from May to October of this year. File photo: Staff Sgt. Russell Lee Klika / Public Domain WFP: 12.4 Million Afghans Facing Food Insecurity October 12, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that approximately 12.4 million Afghan citizens have faced food insecurity from May to October of this year. In its September report released on Friday (October 11), the agency stated that 3.9 million people, including 2.8 million children under the age of five, are suffering from acute malnutrition. Additionally, 2.4 million Afghans are grappling with severe hunger. According to the report, at least 23.7 million people in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan require urgent assistance this year. Referencing the Taliban's new law on the promotion of virtue and the prevention of vice, the World Food Programme added that it has witnessed an increase in the level of oversight by the group on international humanitarian activities. The agency emphasized: "Although WFP operations have not been significantly affected, the agency is actively engaging with the Taliban to protect its staff, partners, and beneficiaries." According to the World Food Programme, food security in Afghanistan has improved compared to the past due to the appreciation of the Afghan currency and seasonal rains. However, according to the data, low employment rates, decreased income, and limited access for farmers remain as problems in the country. This comes as the unemployment rate in the country has increased unprecedentedly since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan. In addition to women, the group has dismissed a large number of male employees of the previous regime for various reasons. Last week, the World Food Programme also stated that to end hunger forever in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, it is necessary to invest in the capabilities of the people themselves.

Zan News: The European Union delegation in Afghanistan has stated that it stands with Afghan women and girls for their right to education and access to learning. Photo: Sgt. Ken Scar / DVIDS / Public Domain European Union: We Stand with Afghan Women and Girls for Their Right to Education February 11, 2025 Zan News Zan News: The European Union delegation in Afghanistan has stated that it stands with Afghan women and girls for their right to education and access to learning. In a post on its X page today, Tuesday (February 11), on the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the office wrote: "The resilience and achievements of Afghan women and girls in education, science, sports, and every other field inspire us." The office added that investing in the future of Afghan women and girls is an investment in the future of Afghanistan. These remarks come as the Taliban, following their return to power in Afghanistan, have deprived girls above the sixth grade of their right to education. In addition to imposing severe restrictions on the work, education, and schooling of women and girls, the group has also banned them from studying medical fields. It is worth noting that the United Nations General Assembly, in December 2015, adopted a resolution designating February 11 as the "International Day of Women and Girls in Science." Since then, this day has been observed annually by UNESCO to promote full access and participation of women and girls in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Zan News: The Afghanistan Journalists Center has published a report stating that, in the third year of Taliban rule over Afghanistan, 181 cases of media and journalist freedom violations have been recorded. Illustration: Zan TV / AI-generated Afghanistan Journalists Center: 181 Cases of Media Freedom Violations Recorded in the Third Year of Taliban Rule August 14, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The Afghanistan Journalists Center has published a report stating that, in the third year of Taliban rule over Afghanistan, 181 cases of media and journalist freedom violations have been recorded. The report, released on Tuesday (August 13), details the state of media freedom and journalists in the third year of Taliban governance. According to the report, the recorded violations include 133 threats and 48 cases of the detention of journalists and media staff, with two of the detained journalists still in Taliban prisons. The Afghanistan Journalists Center also noted the issuance of three new restrictive orders by the Taliban in the third year of their rule, including the prohibition of "foreign terms," a ban on photographing and filming official and unofficial Taliban meetings in Kandahar, and a ban on phone calls by girls to radio and television stations. The center stated that the Taliban's stance on media has been inconsistent in the third year of their rule; while some officials have spoken about implementing the previous government's media laws, a "severely conservative traditional and religious attitude towards freedom of expression and free media" remains predominant. The center further noted that, in addition to legal restrictions, economic problems for media outlets due to reduced commercial advertising, lack of supportive projects, and tax pressures from the Taliban have continued, causing many journalists and media workers to migrate to Western countries, Iran, and Pakistan. The Afghanistan Journalists Center also mentioned that the Taliban issued 14 restrictive directives against media outlets in the first two years of their rule, including forcing female presenters to wear black masks and banning the broadcast of music and the mention of the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan.

Zan News: The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) states that women and girls in Afghanistan under Taliban rule are facing severe restrictions. File photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain OCHA: Women in Afghanistan Face Severe Restrictions November 26, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) states that women and girls in Afghanistan under Taliban rule are facing severe restrictions. In a message published today, Tuesday (November 26), on its social media platform X, OCHA emphasized that the voices of Afghan women have been silenced, their rights violated, and they have become increasingly vulnerable. While supporting the global 16-day campaign to combat violence against women, OCHA has called on everyone to join the campaign and support efforts to end violence against women. This comes as the Taliban, since regaining power in Afghanistan, has imposed severe restrictions on the country's citizens, especially women. Over the past three years, the group's leader has issued numerous decrees targeting women. Earlier, women's rights defenders and several international organizations expressed concern over the increasing violations of women's rights by the Taliban. Furthermore, the Afghanistan Legal Studies and Research Center stated that the international community has been indifferent to the deterioration state of women's rights in Afghanistan.

Zan News: The World Peace Organization, in a report, has called on countries around the world to prevent the normalization of "gender apartheid" in Afghanistan by adopting a "constructive engagement" approach with the Taliban. The organization stressed that global powers should exercise caution in "granting any legitimacy" to the Taliban's rule. Image Source: Wikimedia Commons World Peace Organization Urges Countries to Prevent the Normalization of Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan November 30, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The World Peace Organization, in a report, has called on countries around the world to prevent the normalization of "gender apartheid" in Afghanistan by adopting a "constructive engagement" approach with the Taliban. The organization stressed that global powers should exercise caution in "granting any legitimacy" to the Taliban's rule. The report states that the new Taliban law, titled the "Law of Promotion of Virtue," has further "stripped" women's independence by effectively removing their presence from public life. The World Peace Organization also pointed out that Afghanistan currently holds one of the lowest rankings in terms of inclusion, justice, and security for women according to peace and security indicators. The organization added that given the Taliban's "hardline stance" on issues such as gender equality, it is essential for global powers to make efforts to improve the situation of women in Afghanistan through engagement with the Taliban. The report also references discussions between certain countries, including the UK, India, the European Union, and global NGOs with the Taliban, noting that "to continue engagement and limit the potential legitimacy of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, groups that have condemned the weaponization of religion for discriminatory purposes, such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, must take a leading role in the human rights discourse and its implications." The World Peace Organization further stated that, due to human rights violations, especially the rights of women, organizations like the Organization of Islamic Cooperation can raise their objections from a religious perspective. Additionally, the report suggests that, in coordinating these discussions, it is essential for women and local NGOs to actively engage in addressing not only gender-related issues but also a wide range of current challenges in Afghanistan, including economic and humanitarian matters. The report also emphasizes that efforts should be made to support and expand Afghanistan's civil space. The World Peace Organization notes that one of the reasons the "struggle against oppression" has been difficult for the people of Afghanistan is the significant reduction in political and media freedoms since the Taliban's takeover. The report states that opponents of the Taliban who express their dissent are facing "censorship, arbitrary detentions, and torture," making independent reporting and support extremely difficult. The organization stresses the need for financial support from human rights organizations and local NGOs to strengthen and protect the welfare of civil society institutions and activists, believing that this would improve access to data on human rights violations and enhance political research reporting. The World Peace Organization also states that a stronger civil space would increase groups' ability to negotiate and apply pressure on authorities, strengthening the "potential" for real change. The report concludes by stating that women are an integral part of the health and development of society. Their ongoing disability and marginalization will only harm Afghanistan's path toward peace and prosperity. The organization adds, "While many countries have lost hope for the improvement of the situation in Afghanistan, it is crucial for the international community to remain steadfast and committed to exerting pressure on the Taliban to restore the basic rights of women and girls throughout the country."

Zan News: In a recent report, the UN Women has stated that the Taliban are implementing series of decrees, directives, and actions aimed at the systematic exclusion of women from public life and decision-making in Afghanistan. Image Source: Wikimedia Commons UN: Taliban Seek Systematic Erasure of Women from Public Life in Afghanistan October 31, 2024 Zan News Zan News: In a recent report, the UN Women has stated that the Taliban are implementing series of decrees, directives, and actions aimed at the systematic exclusion of women from public life and decision-making in Afghanistan. The organization notes that women under Taliban rule are being pushed into an increasingly restrictive environment that curtails their rights. This 13-page report, which examines the state of human rights, especially women’s rights, before the Taliban’s enactment of the "Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice" law, states that the Taliban have imposed restrictive and rights-violating decrees in nearly all sectors. The UN Women emphasized that since the Taliban regained power, the situation for both women and men across Afghanistan has "deteriorated." Based on the UN Women’s consultative meetings with Afghan women, approximately 79% of respondents reported being denied access to public spaces like parks and health centers over the past year. Additionally, 69% of the women surveyed said they did not feel safe leaving their homes, leading to social isolation and an increase in mental health issues, including depression and anxiety. The report also highlights issues in employment and women’s limited access to formal and informal legal services, noting that roughly 79% of women had not used any formal institution for conflict resolution in the past year. According to the report, since the Taliban’s return, women’s access to public and recreational spaces has drastically declined, and economic conditions, particularly for women, have worsened significantly. Although the Taliban have not fully banned women from working in the private sector, their discriminatory decrees have severely limited women’s employment opportunities. Some respondents also mentioned a shift in societal attitudes toward women’s rights, attributing this change to fears of Taliban retaliation and the resurgence of patriarchal traditions. Since their return to power, the Taliban have imposed widespread restrictions on the rights and freedoms of citizens, especially women, and have also barred girls from continuing their education.

Women without guardians and breadwinners in the western region of the country, complaining about the prohibition of work for women by the Taliban, say that according to this command from the Taliban's leader, not only have they lost their jobs, but they have also been forced to sell their dignity and honor cheaply. Image Source: Wikimedia Commons The Logic of the Islamic Government; From the Prohibition of Work for Women to the Permissibility of Begging on Streets Under the Taliban February 19, 2025 Ariahn Raya Women without guardians and breadwinners in the western region of the country, complaining about the prohibition of work for women by the Taliban, say that according to this command from the Taliban's leader, not only have they lost their jobs, but they have also been forced to sell their dignity and honor cheaply. Some women in the western provinces of the country say that on one hand they are facing severe economic problems, and on the other, according to the Taliban leader's command, they are not allowed to work outside the home, which has driven them to beg on the streets and roads. Sufia, a widow who has wrapped herself in a blue burqa, says that the compulsion of fate, along with the Taliban’s prohibition on women’s work, has forced her to extend her begging hand to people on the streets of Herat from dawn till dusk. "My children's stomachs are hungry; I have to beg; my husband had cancer and passed away; I used to work at an institute, but the Taliban said that women, without a mahram, are not allowed to leave the house for work; I became unemployed and sold everything I had—nothing remains for me except begging." Nadia Shahir, another woman without a guardian residing in Farah province, has complained about the prohibition of work for women and says: "I am a widow; my father was elderly and passed away, and my brothers also barely make a living—so how am I supposed to get a mahram for myself? How can I cover the expenses of my six young children? During the republic era, I worked in this very Safa command, but the Taliban kicked me out." Bibi Hoor, another one of these women who begs in the Pul - Pashtun area of Herat province, says that she previously worked as a cook at an institution; however, with the issuance of the Taliban's decree prohibiting women's work, she lost her job. By raising this question, she calls the Taliban's laws un-Islamic and inhumane: "The Taliban have prohibited work for us, so why do they allow begging and consider it permissible? Do I beg inside my own house? If I go out begging, there's no problem, but when I go out for honorable work, it is forbidden for me." On the other hand, women's rights activists are calling on international organizations and the Taliban government to remove the restrictions imposed on women's work and activities. Fazelah Nadim, one of the women's rights activists, says: "It is necessary for the world to focus on the issue of Afghan women, and the Taliban must review their imposed laws, especially regarding human rights and women's rights, because today life has really turned into a cage and prison for women and girls." It should be noted that after seizing power in Afghanistan, the Taliban have banned work, education, for women and girls.

Zan News: The Taliban’s Supreme Court has announced the public flogging of three individuals, including a woman, in Kapisa province. These individuals were convicted on charges of "running away from home" and "helping others escape from home." Photo: Social Media Taliban Publicly Flog a Woman and Two Men in Kapisa February 6, 2025 Zan News Zan News: The Taliban’s Supreme Court has announced the public flogging of three individuals, including a woman, in Kapisa province. These individuals were convicted on charges of "running away from home" and "helping others escape from home." According to a statement released by the court on Thursday (February 6), each of the accused was sentenced to seven months in prison and 39 lashes. Previously, the Taliban’s Supreme Court had also reported the flogging of five individuals, including two women, in Faryab and Kunduz provinces. It is worth mentioning that the Taliban continue their public punishments and desert trials despite widespread condemnation from international organizations and human rights groups.