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Photo: @TajudeenOyewale/x The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) representative in Afghanistan has said that the organisation’s emergency teams are present in the northern provinces to assist children and families affected by the recent earthquake. Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF’s representative in Afghanistan, wrote in a message on X on Monday (November 3): “We are mourning the loss of lives in the recent earthquake in northern Afghanistan.” He emphasised that UNICEF, together with its partners, is working to meet the urgent needs of affected children and families. The 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck northern Afghanistan on Sunday night, causing casualties and damage across several provinces. The Taliban’s Ministry of Public Health has reported that more than 20 people have been killed and 534 others injured in Balkh and Samangan provinces so far. The ministry noted that these are preliminary figures and that the death toll may rise.

@PaikAftab/x At least 20 people have been killed and more than 360 others injured after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck Khulm district in Balkh province on last night (November 3). Most of the casualties have been reported from Balkh and Samangan provinces. The quake occurred at around 12:59 a.m. at a depth of 35 kilometres and was also felt in Kabul, Baghlan, Samangan, Sar-e Pul, and Kunduz provinces. According to local sources, dozens of homes were destroyed in Khulm and Shulgara districts of Balkh province, as well as in Hazrat Sultan district and Aybak city of Samangan province. Around 800 houses were also reported damaged or destroyed in Chugani village of Shahr-e Buzurg district in Badakhshan province. Taliban officials in Balkh said that six people were killed in Khulm district and two children died in Shulgara district. In Samangan province, local officials reported more than ten deaths and around 260 injuries. UNAMA and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) have stated that emergency response teams have been deployed to assess the damage and deliver immediate humanitarian assistance to the affected areas.

Rajanish Kakade/AP India’s national women’s cricket team advanced to the final of the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup after a stunning victory over Australia. The semi-final match was held on Thursday evening (30 October) in Mumbai. Batting first, Australia set a total of 338 runs, but the Indian women successfully chased down the target with five wickets in hand and in 49 overs; marking the highest successful run chase in the history of women’s One Day Internationals. Jemimah Rodrigues, the 24-year-old Indian batter, was named player of the match after scoring an unbeaten 127 runs. Team captain Harmanpreet Kaur also played a pivotal role with 89 runs. Their 150-run partnership turned the game in India’s favour. Virat Kohli, India’s star cricketer, praised the national women’s team in a post on X, writing: “An incredible victory against a strong opponent! Our girls have made history with belief and determination. Bravo!” India’s women’s team will face South Africa in the final on Sunday (2 November). This marks India’s third appearance in a Women’s World Cup final, with many calling it the greatest opportunity in the history of Indian women’s cricket.

Image: Zakia Khudadadi/Instagram Zakia Khudadadi, a para-taekwondo athlete and member of the Refugee Paralympic Team, has been awarded the prestigious “North–South Prize” of the Council of Europe. The award was presented to her on Wednesday (October 29) at an official ceremony in the Portuguese Parliament by the President of Portugal. In a message, Khudadadi described the occasion as one of the most special and unforgettable days of her life. She wrote: “This is not just an award; it is a symbol of hope, resilience, and belief in dreams for all those who face great obstacles but never give up.” The Afghan athlete, who fled the country after the fall of Kabul in 2021 and now lives in France, dedicated the award to the women of Afghanistan, refugees, and all athletes striving for a better future. During the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Khudadadi made history by winning the first-ever medal for the Refugee Team in taekwondo. The bronze medal was hailed as a historic achievement, inspiring not only the Refugee Team but also Afghan girls who continue to fight against adversity. In her speech at the award ceremony, she said: “To all women in Afghanistan and beyond, I say: hope is alive, and you are not alone. Sport is the universal language of peace, freedom, and human dignity. Be brave and keep fighting for a better future.” The “North–South Prize” of the Council of Europe has been awarded annually since 1995 to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the promotion of human rights, equality, and intercultural dialogue among nations.

Image: Ebrahim Noroozi/AP A US court has sentenced two men to 25 years in prison each for attempting to assassinate Masih Alinejad, an Iranian journalist and women’s rights activist. The verdict was issued on Wednesday (29 October). According to prosecutors, the case was part of a failed plot by the Iranian government to silence its critics abroad. Masih Alinejad, who now lives in the United States, is a prominent and well-known women’s rights advocate leading the campaign against Iran’s compulsory hijab law. US prosecutors said the two men, identified as Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov, members of a Russian criminal network, were paid by the Iranian government to kill Alinejad in New York City. Reports indicate that the plot was devised in July 2022, with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) allegedly offering them half a million dollars to carry it out. In court, Alinejad said: “I fled Iran to live freely, but I am still not free. My only crime is becoming the voice of Iranian women.” She urged the judge to impose a heavy sentence to send a message to the Iranian government that it cannot kill its opponents abroad. US prosecutors stressed that the goal of the plot was not only to assassinate one woman but to “intimidate millions of women” across Iran who, inspired by Alinejad, continue to fight against injustice and state oppression.

Image: UN Photo/Christophe Verhellen Marking the 25th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on “Women, Peace, and Security,” the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has called on the Taliban to ensure the full participation of women in Afghanistan’s public, political, and economic life and to uphold the country’s international commitments regarding women’s rights. In a statement released on Thursday (October 30), Georgette Gagnon, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan, said: “In Afghanistan, the principles of Resolution 1325 matter now more than ever. Afghan women have consistently demonstrated remarkable courage, leadership, and resilience in the face of adversity.” She added that despite being stripped of their fundamental rights, millions of Afghan women continue to support their families, educate children, and contribute to their communities, keeping hope for a better future alive. UNAMA stressed that the meaningful participation of women in all areas of life, particularly in political and social decision-making, is essential for Afghanistan’s stability and legitimacy. The mission urged the Taliban to adhere to Afghanistan’s international obligations and allow women to once again play an active role in society. Afghanistan remains the only country in the world where girls above the sixth grade are banned from education, and women are prohibited from working, travelling, and participating in most public and political spheres under Taliban rule.

Image Source: pajhwok The Taliban’s Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Kunar province has claimed that, with the cooperation of religious scholars and tribal elders, it prevented a forced marriage and rescued a woman from domestic violence. According to the department, in the Nari district of Kunar, members of a family attempted to marry off a young girl to a middle-aged man without her consent, but the “intervention of the Taliban” and efforts by local elders allegedly stopped the forced marriage. In another case, a woman who had suffered domestic violence for years was reportedly freed from her difficult situation with the support and follow-up of the Taliban’s virtue and vice office. However, this claim comes as forced and underage marriages have dramatically increased in Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. Reports by international organisations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and UNICEF, indicate that Taliban-imposed restrictions on women’s education, employment, and social participation have contributed to the rise in forced marriages. According to these reports, more than one-third of Afghan girls are now trapped in forced marriages, many of which involve Taliban members or take place under pressure from the group’s policies. This year, several cases of forced marriage to Taliban members were reported. In April, a girl in Ghor province set herself on fire and died to escape being forced into marriage with a Taliban member. Similar incidents have been documented in Herat, Sar-e Pul, and Baghlan provinces, including cases of threats and violence against families who refused to marry off their daughters to Taliban fighters.

Social Media The Taliban’s Supreme Court has announced that two women and three men were publicly flogged in Ghor and Balkh provinces on charges of “moral corruption” and “alcohol trafficking.” According to a statement released by the court on Wednesday (October 29), four people, including two women, were flogged 39 times each in Ghor province’s sports stadium in the presence of local officials, Taliban forces, and members of the public. In Balkh province, a man was also flogged in public on charges of “transporting alcoholic beverages.” Human rights organisations have repeatedly warned that punishments such as public flogging and executions violate human dignity and contravene international human rights obligations. Despite this, the Taliban continue to enforce such punishments based on their own interpretation of Sharia.

Seven people, including a woman, were injured in a traffic accident on the Samangan–Balkh highway. The incident occurred on Tuesday noon (October 28) in Khulm district of Samangan province. According to Taliban security officials in Samangan, a Corolla vehicle collided with a Fielder vehicle , resulting in injuries to seven people. Hashmatullah Rahmani, the Taliban’s police spokesperson in Samangan, said the injured were taken to the provincial hospital and are currently under medical care. The cause of the accident has been attributed to driver negligence and failure to follow traffic rules. Traffic incidents in Afghanistan always to claim lives regularly, with the absence of traffic signs, poor road conditions, and reckless driving cited as the main contributing factors.

Photo: ILOAfghanistan/x The International Labour Organization (ILO) has announced that it has provided practical business skills training to 25 women recovered from drug addiction in Ghazni province. The initiative, according to the organisation, aims to rebuild self-confidence, promote economic empowerment, and support these women’s reintegration into society. In a message issued on Wednesday (October 29), the ILO said that the training was not limited to business skills but also intended to help women rebuild their lives with renewed hope and purpose. This initiative comes amid a growing drug addiction crisis among women and girls in Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power. Social and economic restrictions and reduced access to healthcare services are cited as key factors behind the rise in addiction. According to figures released by the Taliban, more than one million women and children in Afghanistan are addicted to drugs. The Taliban have transferred many of these women to prisons for drug rehabilitation.