Zan News: Local sources in Helmand province have reported that a man beat and killed his wife in Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital, due to what he described as her "bad cooking." Social Media Man Kills His Wife in Helmand Over "Bad Cooking" January 8, 2025 Zan News Zan News: Local sources in Helmand province have reported that a man beat and killed his wife in Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital, due to what he described as her "bad cooking." According to these sources, the incident occurred around 11:00 PM on Monday (6 January) in the "Safeeha" village of Lashkar Gah. A medical source at the Bost Hospital confirmed that the woman was transferred to the hospital on the night of the incident and died from the severity of her injuries around 9:00 AM on Tuesday (7 January). The identity of the victim has not been disclosed, and local Taliban authorities in Helmand have not commented on the incident. It is worth noting that since the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan, there have been numerous reports of women being killed by family members. Many of these killings are attributed to domestic violence.

Zan News - Ghazni: A man in Qara Bagh district of Ghazni province has blinded his wife by throwing acid on her face. Social Media Man in Ghazni Blinds Wife by Throwing Acid in Her Eyes July 24, 2024 Zan News Zan News - Ghazni: A man in Qara Bagh district of Ghazni province has blinded his wife by throwing acid on her face. The Taliban's Ghazni Security Command said in a statement on Tuesday (July 23) that the incident took place in the village of Gangi in Qara Bagh district. According to the statement, the accused had also killed his two previous wives in the past, and this is the third wife he has blinded. The Taliban's Ghazni Security Command said the man had fled the scene after carrying out the attack, but Taliban forces arrested him in Andar district of Ghazni. The motive for the attack has not yet been fully established. It is worth noting that violence against women in Afghanistan has increased, particularly in the last three years.

The border route between Pakistan and Afghanistan at Torkham has been closed for the third day, causing hundreds of travelers to face serious difficulties. There is neither permission to return to Pakistan nor the possibility to go to Afghanistan, which is causing people to face severe problems. Photo: AFP Torkham Border Closed for the Third Day; Hundreds of Travelers Are Facing Severe Difficulties February 24, 2025 Jawad Shinwari - Pakistan The border route between Pakistan and Afghanistan at Torkham has been closed for the third day, causing hundreds of travelers to face serious difficulties. There is neither permission to return to Pakistan nor the possibility to go to Afghanistan, which is causing people to face severe problems. Travelers are experiencing a shortage of available money, and the scarcity of food supplies has increased. In particular, ill women and children have been greatly affected by this issue. Due to the lack of medical assistance, the condition of many patients has deteriorated, and those patients who have undergone surgeries are experiencing severe pain. Women Face Severe Difficulties The lack of facilities at the border has created the greatest problems for women. Waiting without shelter in the severe heat and cold is a huge ordeal for them. In particular, those women who travel alone or do not have a male companion are facing severe hardships. Some women, whose husbands or other relatives are waiting at the Torkham border for Afghanistan, are facing severe difficulties with their children on the Pakistani side. Cold weather, the absence of facilities, and long waiting times have further increased their worries. Now that is winter season, small children are facing many severe difficulties. Due to the cold, the lack of proper clothing and a warm shelter has made them ill, and their mothers are facing serious concerns. In this situation, there is an urgent need for measures so that basic facilities can be provided to women and children. Affected travelers have asked the authorities to open the Torkham border on humanitarian grounds, so that the sick, women, children, and helpless travelers may be rescued from further hardships. Border Challenges and Deteriorating Conditions Sources report that last night tensions escalated between Afghan and Pakistani border forces. Reports indicate that the Taliban forces attempted to set up a new security post along the border area, but the Pakistani forces opposed it and halted the process. Following this incident, the situation at the border became even more tense. The closure of the Torkham border has not only caused difficulties for travelers but has also completely halted commercial activities. Traders have suffered losses amounting to millions of rupees, and trucks loaded with goods have been stopped on both sides.

Zan News: Karen Decker, the Chargé d'Affaires of the U.S. Embassy for Afghanistan based in Doha, stated on the occasion of International Education Week that the restrictions imposed by the Taliban on women and girls are depriving them of participating in Afghanistan's future. Photo: Google Search Karen Decker: Taliban Restrictions Deprive Women of Participation in Afghanistan's Future November 21, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Karen Decker, the Chargé d'Affaires of the U.S. Embassy for Afghanistan based in Doha, stated on the occasion of International Education Week that the restrictions imposed by the Taliban on women and girls are depriving them of participating in Afghanistan's future. In a post on her official account on the social media platform X on Wednesday (November 20), Decker emphasized that the United States remains committed to supporting equal access to education in Afghanistan. She further asserted that Afghanistan will never achieve self-sufficiency and progress without the participation of women. This comes as Afghan women and girls have been deprived of their fundamental right to education under the Taliban’s rule, a move that has drawn widespread domestic and international condemnation.

Zan News: In a report, Human Rights Watch has called the upcoming Doha meeting an opportunity for the international community to stand with Afghan women and avoid legitimizing the Taliban regime. Human Rights Watch: Doha Meeting an Opportunity for The International Community to Stand with Afghan Women June 11, 2024 Zan News Zan News: In a report, Human Rights Watch has called the upcoming Doha meeting an opportunity for the international community to stand with Afghan women and avoid legitimizing the Taliban regime. The organization said in a report released on Tuesday, June 11, that in addition to other restrictions imposed on Afghan women and girls, it has been 1,000 days since the Taliban banned girls above grade 6 from attending school in Afghanistan. Andrew Stroehlein, the author of the report, says: "At the end of June, UN experts and representatives on Afghanistan will gather in Doha to discuss the international community's approach to the country." He adds: "This is an opportunity to stand with Afghan women and avoid doing anything that might downplay the serious human rights crisis or legitimize the Taliban regime." Human Rights Watch emphasizes that the international community must hold the Taliban accountable for their "crimes" against women and girls. The organization says in its report: "The international community should not invite them 'Taliban' to UN meetings. No one should lift sanctions against the Taliban regime." Human Rights Watch warns of the danger of normalizing relations with the Taliban, calling this approach more harmful than any other action. According to the organization, the women's rights crisis in Afghanistan, which has been described by international experts as "gender apartheid," is the most serious crisis of its kind in the world. It is worth noting that at the recent Turkey meeting with the participation of representatives of political parties, civil activists, and human rights activists in Afghanistan, the international community was called upon to pay serious attention to the demands of the people of this country at the third Doha meeting. Participants in the meeting criticized the unilateral approach towards the Taliban in the Doha meetings, emphasizing that the Afghan people are absent as the main party in these talks. This comes as Rina Amiri, the US special representative for Afghan women's affairs, also recently emphasized the meaningful participation of women and civil society in this country in the third Doha meeting.

Zan News: In response to the shooting to 14 Hazara residents in Daikundi province by ISIS, Afghan women’s protest movements issued a joint statement condemning the "cruel" massacre, calling it an example of genocide and ethnic discrimination against the Hazara community. Sent to Zan News Protest Movements: We Condemn the Killing of Dozens of Innocent Hazara People in Daikundi September 16, 2024 Zan News Zan News: In response to the shooting to 14 Hazara residents in Daikundi province by ISIS, Afghan women’s protest movements issued a joint statement condemning the "cruel" massacre, calling it an example of genocide and ethnic discrimination against the Hazara community. The statement, released by the Lantern of Freedom Women’s Movement and other protest movements, labeled the killings as crimes against humanity and urged the international community and human rights organizations to address the "systematic" genocide that has been targeting the Hazara people for years. The movements emphasized that "the Hazaras will never bow to oppression and injustice, and attempts to eradicate this ethnic group will fail." They also called on all international organizations and countries that respect human rights to hold the perpetrators of these crimes accountable. These protest movements, emphasizing their stand for justice, have declared that they will strive until the very last moment to stop the genocide of the Hazaras and to establish justice. This statement was issued by five different Afghan women’s protest movements, including the Powerful Women’s Movement, the Justice-Seeking Women’s Movement of Afghanistan, the Spontaneous Movement of Afghan Women Protesters, the Network of Republican Women of Afghanistan, and the Lantern of Freedom Women’s Movement of Afghanistan.

Zan News: At the opening of the third Doha meeting, Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesperson, called for Western engagement with the group without considering "discriminatory" decrees against Afghan women and girls. Mujahid at Doha Meeting: The West Should Engage with the Taliban Without Considering Women's Rights July 1, 2024 Zan News Zan News: At the opening of the third Doha meeting, Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesperson, called for Western engagement with the group without considering "discriminatory" decrees against Afghan women and girls. On Sunday evening (June 30), Mujahid claimed at the meeting that the Taliban support certain "religious, cultural values, and public aspirations" which should be recognized by the international community. He added that countries should facilitate bilateral relations with the group instead of confronting them. Mujahid stated, "I do not deny that some countries may have problems with certain actions of the Islamic Emirate [Taliban]. I believe political differences among states are natural, and it is the duty of experienced diplomats to find ways of engagement and understanding instead of confrontation." Mujahid did not mention the "discriminatory" decrees issued by the Taliban leader against Afghan women and girls. However, he previously categorized women's rights issues as internal matters for the group. The Taliban official claimed that political understanding between the group and countries is increasing. According to him, Kazakhstan has removed the Taliban from its list of "terrorist" groups, and Russia is expected to take similar action soon. Nearly three years after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, no country has recognized their regime. Before the start of the third Doha meeting, UN officials stated that recognizing the Taliban is currently impossible. It should be noted that despite the Taliban being accused of human rights violations, especially against women in Afghanistan, the UN, at the group's request, excluded representatives of women, civil society activists, and political opponents of the Taliban regime from the third Doha meeting. This decision by the UN has faced strong criticism from international human rights organizations and several countries. The Canadian government criticized the exclusion of "anti-Taliban" Afghans from the third Doha meeting by the United Nations. Global Affairs Canada stated in a declaration, "Canada has clearly expressed its severe disappointment at the lack of civil society participation in the third Doha meeting, both privately and in coordination with other governments." According to this declaration, the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women in the Doha meeting process is fundamental to achieving a peaceful, stable, and inclusive Afghanistan. The declaration stated, "None of the goals the people of Afghanistan seek to achieve are possible without the full participation of women." Global Affairs Canada noted that their special envoy for Afghanistan would use their position in the main sessions of the third Doha meeting to amplify the messages of those who have "bravely" spoken out about human rights abuses by the Taliban. The country reiterated the call for the Taliban to lift restrictions against women and urged the group to respect Afghanistan's international human rights obligations. Canada also supported the appointment of a special UN envoy for Afghanistan to implement the roadmap outlined in the 2023 report by the UN special coordinator and UN Security Council Resolution 2721. Meanwhile, some Afghan women's rights activists invited to participate in "informal" sessions of the third Doha meeting have sanctioned the meeting. On Sunday (June 30), the UN held the third Doha meeting without the presence of political opponents of the Taliban, women, and ethnic and religious minorities from Afghanistan, with representatives from about 25 countries, the Taliban, and international organizations participating in the Qatari capital. Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN Under-Secretary-General who leads the third Doha meeting on Afghanistan, described the first day of the meeting as "fruitful." She stated, "This is the first time such a cross-section of the international community and the Taliban have met each other. Look forward to principled engagement to assist the Afghan people in many areas, and we thank Qatar for its support." The second day of this meeting is scheduled to be held today, Monday (July 1).

Zan News - Kabul: UN Women, Peace and Security Working Group report has found that the Taliban have systematically violated human rights and women's rights in all spheres of life, from politics and practice to private aspects, during their nearly three years in power. Women and Girls from Ethnic Minorities Such as Hazaras Face Greater Violence and Discrimination from The Taliban June 3, 2024 Zan News Zan News - Kabul: UN Women, Peace and Security Working Group report has found that the Taliban have systematically violated human rights and women's rights in all spheres of life, from politics and practice to private aspects, during their nearly three years in power. The report, which focuses on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, addresses the situation of women and girls, proposals on women's rights at the third Doha meeting, women's participation in the meeting, and the characteristics of the UN Special Representative for Afghanistan. UN human rights experts emphasize that the continuous, systematic and severe human rights violations against women and girls may amount to gender-based persecution as a crime against humanity. They also describe this situation as "gender apartheid" and call for its recognition as a crime against humanity. The report shows that women and girls from ethnic minorities such as Hazaras face more violence and discrimination from the Taliban. According to the report, the Taliban target activists, journalists and human rights defenders, including women protesters. These individuals are detained without charge or access to legal representation and face abuses, including torture, in prison. The Women, Peace and Security Working Group also points to the high number of people in need of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan, saying that the majority of these people are women and girls. The ban on women working for the UN has also had a disproportionate impact on women. According to the report, 23.7 million people in Afghanistan, nearly 80% of whom are women and children, need humanitarian assistance. It is estimated that one-third of Afghanistan's population will face emergency food insecurity levels in 2024, which will have a disproportionate impact on women and girls. Referring to the third Doha meeting, the Women, Peace and Security Working Group has called on members of the Security Council to demand that the Taliban immediately repeal policies that restrict women's rights in future council meetings.

Zan News: Nine member states of the United Nations Security Council have issued a joint statement supporting the request by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the issuance of arrest warrants against Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s supreme leader, and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, the head of the group's Supreme Court. Nine UN Security Council Member States Support the Request for Arrest Warrants Against Taliban Leaders March 11, 2025 Zan News Zan News: Nine member states of the United Nations Security Council have issued a joint statement supporting the request by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the issuance of arrest warrants against Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s supreme leader, and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, the head of the group's Supreme Court. The statement, signed by Denmark, France, Greece, Guyana, Panama, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom, condemns the Taliban’s "systematic gender-based discrimination and gender-based violence" against women. It further states that the Taliban have issued more than 80 decrees aimed at eliminating women from social life. “These unacceptable and unjustifiable actions institutionalize a system of gender-based discrimination, harassment, and repression,” the statement reads. The representatives of the nine countries also pointed to the Taliban’s enforcement of the so-called "Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice" law, as well as the ban on female education in medical institutions, as measures restricting the movement and expression of women and girls. The statement urges the Taliban to immediately repeal their discriminatory policies and systematic violations of women’s and girls’ rights, which have stripped them of their fundamental freedoms. The countries also expressed their support for international efforts to hold the Taliban accountable for these widespread violations, including the ICC prosecutor’s request for arrest warrants against Taliban leaders. It is worth noting that a few months ago, nearly 20 countries referred the Taliban’s human rights violations to the ICC. Meanwhile, the Taliban claim they uphold women’s rights within the framework of Islamic Sharia and have announced their decision to withdraw Afghanistan’s membership from the International Criminal Court.

Zan News: Local sources in Ghor province report that the Taliban have closed a language education center in the Lal - Sarjangal district of the province and arrested its teachers. Social Media Taliban Closes Language Education Center in Ghor Due to Educating Girls January 26, 2025 Zan News Zan News: Local sources in Ghor province report that the Taliban have closed a language education center in the Lal - Sarjangal district of the province and arrested its teachers. The sources said on Saturday (January 25) that the Taliban raided the "Afq Jadid" educational center in the Lal - Sarjangal district of Ghor and halted its operations. According to the sources, after closing the English language education center, the Taliban arrested four individuals, including one woman, and took them with them. The sources further clarified that the Taliban justified this action by the center’s education of girls above the sixth grade. However, the Taliban in Ghor province have not made any comment on this matter yet. It is noteworthy that the Taliban had previously closed several educational centers in Ghor and Daikundi provinces and arrested their teachers.