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Sent to ZAN TV A number of Afghan activists in Pakistan have emphasised the continuation of efforts to restore the rights of women in Afghanistan during an advocacy event. The programme was held on Wednesday (22 April) and was attended by several civil and political figures. The event was organised by the New Generation Network for Change and the Free Movement in Exile, with participants including Shukria Barakzai, Abdullah Ahmadi and a representative of the International Organization for Migration in Quetta. Monesa Mobarez, founder of the New Generation Network for Change, said at the event that migration is not a choice but a compulsion, and that it can serve as a platform to raise the voices of Afghan women. Shukria Barakzai, a former member of Afghanistan’s House of Representatives, said that women today are more aware than ever of the importance of education, self reliance and participation, and must stand with courage for change. Speakers at the event highlighted the exclusion of women from political structures, social restrictions and the deprivation of girls from education. Participants in the meeting called for continued advocacy and joint efforts to restore women’s rights. This comes as, following the Taliban’s return to power, women in Afghanistan have faced widespread restrictions in education, work and social participation.

Source: Bakhtar News Agency Local Taliban officials in Maidan Wardak say that two girls have died following the collapse of a house wall in Chaghto district of the province. Bakhtar News Agency reported on Thursday (23 April), quoting Wahidullah Sarwari, spokesperson for the Taliban governor in Maidan Wardak, that the incident occurred the previous day in the “Dah Nah” village of the district. According to the report, a 15 year old girl and a 22 year old girl were killed in the incident. The cause of the incident has been attributed to heavy rainfall. This comes as last week, two children were also killed in the same district due to rainfall and a wall collapse. It is worth noting that following recent weeks of rainfall in Afghanistan, hundreds of houses have been destroyed and thousands of jeribs of agricultural land have been lost. According to the United Nations, more than 90 people have also died.

Photo: @OCHAAfg The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, says that women and girls returning to Afghanistan are among the most vulnerable groups. In a message posted on X on Thursday (23 April), OCHA said that many of these individuals enter the country without basic resources and face serious restrictions in access to services, education, livelihoods and protection support. The message stated that returning women and girls face particular challenges, and meeting their immediate needs requires an urgent strengthening of humanitarian assistance. This comes as, according to United Nations reports, around 2.9 million Afghans returned or were deported to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan in 2025, a significant number of whom are women and girls.

Source: AA The Afghanistan Media Support Organisation, AMSO, has expressed concern over the arrest and forced deportation of Afghan journalists in Pakistan. In a statement, the organisation said that over the past two weeks, at least three journalists have been arrested by Pakistani police. Among them, one female journalist was forcibly deported to Afghanistan along with her family, while two others remain in detention. The statement added that one of these female journalists, despite having valid exit documents and a visa for another country, was not allowed to leave and was transferred to a migrant camp. AMSO said that the forced deportation of journalists exposes them to serious security risks and called on Pakistani police to stop the arrest and harassment of journalists and to release those detained without conditions. The organisation also called on international bodies, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to take practical measures to ensure the safety of Afghan journalists.

Photo: © Mohsen Karimi / AFP The Irish Parliament has announced that its Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade will hold a meeting to examine the human rights situation in Afghanistan, with a particular focus on the treatment of women and girls. In a statement published on the Irish Parliament’s website, it said the meeting will take place today, Tuesday (21 April), at 3:30 pm local time in Room 2 of Leinster House. According to the statement, Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, Hassan Alif Faiz from the Human Rights Defenders Committee and Mahbouba Faiz will participate in the meeting. John Lahart, Deputy Chair of the committee, said that the human rights situation in Afghanistan has significantly deteriorated since August 2021, with widespread restrictions imposed on women and girls, including a ban on education beyond primary level, restrictions on employment and limitations on freedom of movement. He added that the meeting will also examine the situation of ethnic and religious minorities, including the Hazara community, as well as reports of arbitrary detention, restrictions on freedom of expression and gender based violence. He emphasised that the session is part of the committee’s ongoing review of Ireland’s foreign policy and its engagement in supporting human rights internationally.

Source: Amu TV More than a week after the deadly attack on Shia families in Injil district of Herat, the perpetrators remain unclear and no group has claimed responsibility. The incident occurred on Friday (10 April) in the Dah Mehri area near the shrine of Mohammad Agha, where several families had gathered for recreation but were targeted by gunfire from unidentified armed individuals. Eyewitnesses have shared accounts that point suspicion towards the Taliban. One witness, who requested anonymity, said, “The armed men were on motorcycles. They spoke Dari, but their accent was Pashto like.” Meanwhile, a relative of the victims claims that Taliban officials from the Department for the Promotion of Virtue had previously warned them not to go to public places with their families. He said, “They had told us not to take your women and daughters outside. When we went, they came in different clothes and attacked us.” Some local residents also refer to previous statements by Taliban officials in Herat, which they say used harsh language when referring to the Shia community. However, Taliban officials have so far remained silent on these allegations and have not provided a clear explanation. In recent years, similar attacks against Shia communities in Afghanistan have occurred, many of which were claimed by the Islamic State group. However, in this case, the lack of any claim of responsibility has increased the uncertainty. Critics say the continuation of such incidents and the lack of transparency regarding those responsible have raised concerns about the safety of religious minorities and serious questions about the accountability of the current authorities. The families of the victims are calling for the truth to be revealed and for those responsible to be prosecuted, a demand that has so far gone unanswered.

Photo: © Wakil Kohsar / AFP / Getty Images Taliban restrictions on women’s dress in Herat province have turned the area into a space filled with fear, control and humiliation for thousands of women and girls. Taliban checkpoints at intersections and main roads have not only restricted women’s movement, but have also severely disrupted their psychological well being. Women say that before leaving home, they look in the mirror repeatedly, not out of care for appearance, but out of fear that the colour of their clothes, the length of their coat or the type of their dress may be used as a pretext for arrest, humiliation or contact with their families. Atifa, a 19 year old girl, says fear leaves the house before she does each day. She works in a tailoring workshop and told Zan News, “I swear every morning when I open the door, my knees shake. I feel that every Taliban member standing on the street is looking for an excuse to arrest us. I only think, if they take me, if I am detained like other girls, what will happen to my dignity and my family’s honour? This fear is worse than prison.” She says the Taliban show no leniency even towards women who work to on the streets provide food for their families, “We are forced to work, forced! But the Taliban stop vehicles, search taxis and stare at women’s clothes. If it is a coat, it is as if we have committed a serious crime. No one asks how we are supposed to survive.” This fear is not limited to young girls. Safura, a widow and mother of three, says that every time she leaves home for labour work, she says goodbye to herself, a farewell filled with anxiety and despair. She says, “Now going outside is torment for me. One day I worry that my clothes might be too short, another day I think the colour may not be acceptable to the Taliban. I cannot sleep at night. I work for months and earn two thousand Afghanis, but I have to spend that money on my children. Where should I find the money for clothes that the Taliban will approve of? I do not know whether to feed my children or save myself from Taliban detention.” Karima, a nurse at a clinic in Herat, also says that fear of the Taliban has affected the healthcare environment. She says, “Every day I leave home with fear. When I reach the street, I just pray that the Taliban do not stop our vehicle. The Taliban have detained many girls just for wearing a coat. They contacted their fathers and humiliated them.” She adds, “My cousin went alone to the hospital one day. At the intersection, the Taliban forced her out of the vehicle and held her for hours until her father arrived. When she was released, she was no longer the same girl. Since that day, she does not even have the courage to go outside.” Women’s rights activists say that what is happening in Herat is not merely “dress control”, but a form of systematic violence and the creation of collective fear against women. This situation is gradually excluding them from work, society and normal life. While the Taliban describe these policies as “implementation of Sharia”, women say these restrictions have led to chronic anxiety, psychological breakdown and a constant sense of insecurity. They believe that women’s bodies and dress have become tools for the Taliban to display power.

Sent to ZAN TV The Afghanistan Powerful Women’s Movement has condemned the recent attack on Shia citizens in Herat province. In a statement, the movement said the incident reflects the continued systematic targeting of religious groups in Afghanistan. The statement said that the Shia community in Afghanistan has consistently been exposed to threats, discrimination and violence, and that repeated attacks on mosques, educational centres and religious gatherings demonstrate the vulnerability of this group to extremism and terrorism. The movement called on the international community, the United Nations and human rights organisations to take immediate and effective action in response to these incidents, conduct independent investigations and ensure accountability of those responsible. This comes as at least 11 people were killed and around 11 to 15 others injured in an armed attack on Friday (10 April) in the “Deh Miri” village of Injil district in Herat. Unidentified armed men on motorcycles attacked a recreational site near a Shia shrine and opened fire on people. Attacks on gatherings and ceremonies associated with Shia communities in Afghanistan have a history, and in previous cases, the Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for such attacks.

Photo: Petros Giannakouris/AP/dpa/picture alliance The Taliban have publicly flogged 12 people, including two women, in the provinces of Khost, Zabul and Herat. In statements released on Wednesday (15 April), the Taliban’s Supreme Court said these individuals were flogged on charges of “drug trafficking and sale of narcotics” and “illicit relations”. According to the court, in Khost province eight people were sentenced to prison terms ranging from eight to 10 months and 10 to 15 lashes on charges of drug trafficking and sale of narcotics. It also said that in Zabul and Herat provinces, four people, including two women, were each sentenced to prison and 39 lashes on charges of “illicit relations”. In recent weeks, the use of corporal punishment by the Taliban has increased, with more than 20 people flogged in the past week alone.

Photo: © UNICEF The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, said in a statement that in 2025, despite a decline in global aid, it continued to provide essential services to more than 34 million people in Afghanistan. The statement, released on Wednesday (15 April), said these individuals benefited from health services, economic opportunities and livelihood support. According to the report, more than 4.6 million children were enrolled in public schools with United Nations support, and around 45,000 sustainable jobs were created, 55 percent of them for women. UNAMA also said that funding for basic needs assistance programmes under the United Nations Strategic Framework for Afghanistan has increased for the third consecutive year, reaching 1.7 billion dollars in 2025. Indrika Ratwatte, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General and Humanitarian Coordinator, said that despite pressures caused by reduced aid, large scale returns of migrants, climate change and operational restrictions, essential services have continued to be delivered to the population. This comes as around 22 to 23 million people in Afghanistan required urgent humanitarian assistance in 2025, and the return of 1 to 2.7 million people from neighbouring countries has increased pressure on services.