Zan News: The Taliban Supreme Court has sentenced a woman in Ghor province to 30 lashes and two years in prison for running away from home. Social Media Taliban Flogged a Woman in Public in Ghor Province September 12, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The Taliban Supreme Court has sentenced a woman in Ghor province to 30 lashes and two years in prison for running away from home. The Taliban Supreme Court said this sentence was carried out in public on Wednesday (September 11). This comes as the Taliban, since returning to power in Afghanistan, have subjected the country's citizens to torture on various charges. Human rights organizations and the United Nations have repeatedly expressed concern about the Taliban's corporal punishment and arbitrary punishments, considering them human rights violations.

Zan News: The Taliban's Prison Affairs Department has reported that around 11,000 people, including 1,000 women, are being held in prisons under their control. Photo: Farzana Wahidy Taliban Reports Holding 1,000 Women in Their Prisons September 1, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The Taliban's Prison Affairs Department has reported that around 11,000 people, including 1,000 women, are being held in prisons under their control. Officials from this department stated on Sunday (September 1) during a Taliban accountability program that these individuals have been imprisoned based on verdicts issued by the group's courts. According to the department, among the prisoners are 800 to 900 children. Additionally, 10,000 to 12,000 others are being held in Taliban detention centers. The Taliban officials at this meeting denied any instances of beatings or torture of prisoners in their prisons. This comes despite numerous reports over the past year alleging torture and deaths of prisoners in the group's prisons.

Zan News: Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, held an online discussion with several Afghan women and civil activists ahead of the third Doha meeting. Rosemary DiCarlo's Online Discussion with Afghan Women and Civil Activists Regarding the Third Doha Meeting June 27, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, held an online discussion with several Afghan women and civil activists ahead of the third Doha meeting. Nargis Nehan, the former Minister of Mines and Petroleum of Afghanistan, who participated in this virtual discussion, posted on social media platform X on Wednesday night (June 26) that in this meeting, she criticized the exclusion of women and civil society from the Doha meeting and the removal of human rights and women's rights issues from the agenda. She stated that Afghan women and girls are "disheartened" by the UN's "compliance" with the Taliban. Ms. Nehan stated, "We, the women and girls of Afghanistan, were very hopeful that the Doha process would establish an inclusive approach involving all groups, including women, civil society, the Taliban, and other political groups, to address the crises of legitimacy, human rights, and the humanitarian situation." She added, "If the United Nations follows the virtual and media spaces of Afghanistan, it will realize that the current Doha process faces a legitimacy challenge, as many women have proposed sanction this process." Additionally, based on the images shared by Ms. Nehan, other participants in this virtual discussion included Humaira Saqib, Mari Akrami, Nagina Yari, Sayed Ekram Afzali, Ehsan Qaane, Abdullah Ahmadi, and Waliullah Rahmani. It is worth mentioning that the third meeting of special representatives for Afghanistan, hosted by the United Nations, is scheduled to take place next Sunday and Monday in Doha, Qatar. The exclusion of women from the list of participants and the removal of human rights and women's rights topics from the agenda of this meeting, which includes representatives from the Taliban, have sparked widespread criticism.

Zan News: Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, spokesperson for the Pakistani Foreign Ministry, has emphasized Pakistan's steadfast and clear position in support of the rights of women and girls, particularly their inherent right to education, in response to the Taliban's recent restrictions. Photo: ANADOLU AGENCY Pakistan's Foreign Ministry Reacts to Taliban Restrictions on Afghan Women and Girls September 7, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, spokesperson for the Pakistani Foreign Ministry, has emphasized Pakistan's steadfast and clear position in support of the rights of women and girls, particularly their inherent right to education, in response to the Taliban's recent restrictions. In a press conference, Zahra Baloch stated that Islam guarantees equal access to education and women's rights, and that the Pakistani Constitution also ensures these rights for women in the country. She further added, "We advocate for similar rights for women worldwide." The Taliban's new law on the promotion of virtue and the prevention of vice, which deems even the women's voice as 'awrat', has sparked widespread reactions. UN experts have labeled this law as promoting "discrimination and oppression" and warned that it could lead to crimes against humanity. During the press conference, Zahra Baloch also addressed the issue of terrorist groups based in Afghanistan, stating, "We have on numerous occasions provided evidence of the activities of these terrorist groups that have sanctuary within Afghanistan." She urged the Taliban regime to take serious action against these "terrorist groups" and ensure that they do not use Afghan soil to plan terrorist attacks against Pakistan.

Zan News: The World Food Programme (WFP) has expressed concern over the reduction of global aid, particularly from the United States, stating that women and children in Afghanistan bear the heaviest burden of this humanitarian crisis. Photo: ANADOLU AGENCY World Food Programme: Women and Children in Afghanistan Bear the Brunt of the Humanitarian Crisis April 10, 2025 Zan News Zan News: The World Food Programme (WFP) has expressed concern over the reduction of global aid, particularly from the United States, stating that women and children in Afghanistan bear the heaviest burden of this humanitarian crisis. In a post on its X page on Thursday (April 10), the organization released a video announcing that due to funding shortages, more than 650,000 mothers and children in Afghanistan no longer receive essential nutritional assistance. In the video, a nutrition expert from the organization explains that many of the women who come to them report that their husbands are unemployed and that they can only afford one meal per day. The expert adds that some families have been forced to send their children out to beg. The WFP nutrition expert emphasized that food aid improves the lives of people and reduces malnutrition. She called on the world to not only avoid stopping their assistance to Afghanistan but also to increase it. This warning comes as the United States has halted its aid to the WFP in Afghanistan, citing concerns over the Taliban's access to the aid. Cindy McCain, the head of the WFP, previously warned in response to this decision that the reduction of emergency food assistance could be "a death sentence" for millions facing severe hunger. According to United Nations figures, 22.9 million people in Afghanistan need humanitarian aid this year, with 16.8 million of them prioritized for assistance. This comes at a time when the Taliban, despite their promises, have failed to take effective action to combat the hunger crisis over the past three years. Recently, Hibatullah Akhundzada, the leader of the Taliban, during Eid prayers in Kandahar, dismissed reports of poverty and hunger as "intelligence propaganda," stating that God created the poor and that no one is responsible for the poverty of citizens.

Zan News: The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has issued a statement on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, calling on the Taliban to immediately take measures to end violence against women and girls and to reverse the process of undermining their fundamental rights and freedoms. Photo: Christophe Verhellen/OCHA UNAMA: Violence Against Women in Afghanistan Has Worsened Due to Ongoing Discrimination November 25, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has issued a statement on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, calling on the Taliban to immediately take measures to end violence against women and girls and to reverse the process of undermining their fundamental rights and freedoms. In the statement released today, Monday (November 25), UNAMA emphasized that Afghanistan remains one of the countries with the highest levels of violence against women. According to this organization, violence against women in Afghanistan has taken on more severe dimensions due to ongoing discrimination against women in all aspects of life. Roza Otunbayeva, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan, said in the statement: "We are at a critical point for women and girls in Afghanistan. Immediate action is needed to ensure justice and end violence against women and girls in Afghanistan." Alison Davidian, UN Women Representative in Afghanistan, also expressed concern about the current situation, stating: "Today, women and girls in Afghanistan have fewer rights than previous generations, and this is distressing." She also emphasized the need to strengthen international efforts to support Afghan women and added: "We must invest in their empowerment, leadership, and resilience." The UNAMA statement stressed that violence against women is unjustifiable anywhere in the world, including Afghanistan. The organization stated that the United Nations in Afghanistan is firmly committed to addressing the needs of women and girls who are victims of violence and to advocating for their rights. It is worth mentioning that since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, severe restrictions have been imposed on women and girls' rights and freedoms. Currently, women and girls are deprived of education, work, and free movement. Over the past three years, despite repeated emphasis from the global community and international organizations on respecting women's rights in Afghanistan, the Taliban have intensified their restrictions.

Zan News: Zhulia Parsi, an Afghan protester woman, along with Manuchehr Khaliq Nazarov, a human rights activist from Tajikistan, has been awarded the 2024 Martin Ennals Award. Social Media Zhulia Parsi, Afghan Protester Woman, Wins the Prestigious 2024 Martin Ennals Award November 20, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Zhulia Parsi, an Afghan protester woman, along with Manuchehr Khaliq Nazarov, a human rights activist from Tajikistan, has been awarded the 2024 Martin Ennals Award. The Martin Ennals Foundation announced on Tuesday (19 November) that the two recipients will receive their award on Thursday in Geneva, Switzerland. The award jury, consisting of ten international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, has named them as the winners for this year. Hans Thoolen, the head of the jury, said: "We are very proud to honor these two exceptional winners. They have paid a great price for their commitment to justice and equality in Afghanistan and Tajikistan, and the global community must support their efforts rather than focusing on geopolitical interests in the region." Zhulia Parsi was nominated for the award by the human rights organization "Freedom Now." Andrea Prasow, Executive Director of "Freedom Now," expressed delight at Parsi’s win, saying: "This award is a recognition of Zhulia’s unwavering resolve and steadfast commitment to defending women's rights despite the Taliban's efforts to silence her. It also serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggles of all Afghan women against oppressors and the need for the global community to support their efforts to reclaim their rights." The Martin Ennals Award was established in 1993 to honor Martin Ennals, the former Secretary-General of Amnesty International. Known as the "Nobel Prize for human rights," the award is presented annually to one of the most prominent human rights defenders. After the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, Zhulia Parsi played a key role in women’s street protests in Kabul against the group. She was arrested along with her son in Kabul on the 27th of September last year and was released from prison on the 18 of December after approximately three months.

Zan News: Stephen Rodriques, the UN Resident Representative for the United Nations Development Programme in Afghanistan, called on the international community to attention on the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan and stressed the urgent need for support. Photo: UNDP A UN Official: Afghan Women Need Immediate Support November 21, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Stephen Rodriques, the UN Resident Representative for the United Nations Development Programme in Afghanistan, called on the international community to attention on the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan and stressed the urgent need for support. In an interview with a Japanese media outlet, he referred to the Taliban's new law mandating that women cover their faces in public spaces and warned that "repression may become even harsher." Rodriques added, "This is why many call this situation the erasure of women’s faces and voices from society, as these restrictions intensify for women. It shows that their voices should not be heard in public spaces." He also mentioned the decline in international aid to Afghanistan since 2021, saying, "While the international community has focused on other issues like Ukraine and the Middle East, financial support for Afghanistan has decreased. The budget allocated for places where women can work and support themselves has this year reached less than half of the amount needed." Rodriques emphasized, "We understand the importance of Gaza, Ukraine, Lebanon, and other regions. But we want to warn that if we ignore what is happening in Afghanistan, and the country remains fragile with worsening conditions, in five years, we will find ourselves back at the point where we started."

Zan News: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has announced that it has provided gardening tools and agricultural seeds to 2,335 female-headed households in Nuristan province. Photo: AKDN/Ali Omid Taqdisyan UN Provides Agricultural Aid to Over 2,000 Female Headed-Households in Nuristan November 10, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has announced that it has provided gardening tools and agricultural seeds to 2,335 female-headed households in Nuristan province. In a message posted on its X account, the organization stated that the aid was provided with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). According to the announcement, the aid was distributed to female-headed households in four districts: Kamdish, Bargimtal, Doab, and Nadol. Additionally, 385 other women received mushroom cultivation packages. The goal of the aid is to improve food security and nutrition in rural communities in Afghanistan. It is important to note that a large portion of Afghanistan's population lives in rural areas, where agriculture is the primary source of livelihood. Furthermore, Afghanistan is recognized as the sixth most affected country by climate change. The crises stemming from climate change have had severe negative impacts on the country's agricultural sector, exacerbating the hunger crisis in rural areas. Previously, UN-affiliated organizations have provided various forms of aid to rural women in different sectors.

Zan News: Jan Egeland, Secretary-General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), has described the deprivation of education to Afghan girls as an "intolerable denial of human rights." Social Media Jan Egeland: Deprivation Afghan Girls Education is an Intolerable Denial of Human Rights January 19, 2025 Zan News Zan News: Jan Egeland, Secretary-General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), has described the deprivation of education to Afghan girls as an "intolerable denial of human rights." On Sunday, January 19, Egeland shared details of his visit to a carpet-weaving factory in Herat province. He said he met girls in the factory who have been deprived of education and have turned to carpet weaving. One of the girls told Egeland, "I only studied up to the fifth grade, but my dream is still to become a doctor." The NRC Secretary-General also met with several women in Herat who are the sole providers for their families. He emphasized that the crisis in Afghanistan has been overlooked by the international community. This comes as the Taliban, since their return to power, have imposed severe restrictions on women and girls, including banning them from education and work in many sectors. These actions by the Taliban have faced widespread domestic and international criticism.