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Photo: AWNAA.af website In the two southern provinces of Afghanistan, Kandahar and Helmand, female cosmetic shop owners are facing increasing pressure and threats from the Taliban. Shopkeepers say that Taliban officials have asked them to hide beauty products from public view. Failure to comply with this order is met with summons, arrest, and punishment. Mohibullah, one of the shopkeepers in the Dane Rangrezan market of Kandahar city, told Zan TV, " Every day, Taliban forces visit the shops. If beauty products are visible, the shop owner is summoned or dealt with. " Dane Rangrezan market, known as one of the main centers for selling women's products in Kandahar, has recently become the target of new restrictions imposed by the Taliban's Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. The Taliban have also banned women from entering this market, although some women still visit it despite the risks to meet their daily needs. These pressures are not limited to Kandahar. In Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province, shopkeepers are facing similar conditions. The Taliban have asked vendors not only to hide women's products but also to change their appearance and behavior according to Taliban standards. This includes growing beards and participating in congregational prayers and religious sessions. Ismatullah, one of the vendors, said, " Previously, these activities were managed by the officials of the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue, but now the commanders of the security districts themselves are responsible. We always go to the mosque for prayers, but even after the prayer, they keep us and supposedly advise us. " Shopkeepers emphasize that these pressures have made the work environment unsafe, frightening, and unstable, severely disrupting their economic activities. They speak of the lack of freedom in choosing their profession, selling products, and even their manner of dressing. They fear that with the expansion of these restrictions, the local economy and daily life in these provinces will become even more paralyzed.

Photo: 8am media Local sources in Badghis province report that a man in the "Pahlawanan" village of Ab Kamari district beheaded his eight-month-old son due to economic difficulties. According to the sources, the incident took place on Thursday (May 8), and the man, named Dawood, surrendered himself to Taliban forces after killing his son. His eight-month-old son was named Ziah. So far, the Taliban have not commented on the incident. It is worth mentioning that while there have been multiple cases of suicide reported in the past due to poverty and economic crises, the killing of a child by a father because of economic hardship is considered an unprecedented event.

Photo: Fars Local sources in Panjshir province have reported that two military vehicles belonging to the Taliban hit and injured two children in Anaba district and the provincial center. According to these sources, on Wednesday (May 7), a Ford-type vehicle belonging to the Taliban struck an eight-year-old child in Anaba district. Sources say the child was seriously injured and was transferred to Kabul for urgent medical treatment. In a separate incident that occurred on Tuesday in the center of Panjshir, a Hilux-type vehicle carrying Taliban members hit a seven-year-old child who was on his way to school. Eyewitnesses stated that the incident happened while the child was walking to school. The Taliban's police command in Panjshir confirmed both incidents, stating that the drivers involved were arrested. According to the provided information, the detained individuals have been transferred to the Panjshir Military Commission, and their cases have been referred to Taliban judicial authorities for further investigation. It is worth noting that similar incidents involving Taliban military vehicles and civilians have been previously reported in Panjshir.

Social Media Local sources in Baghlan province say that a Taliban member has killed three members of his family, including his wife, brother, and nephew, in Khanjan district of the province. According to sources, the incident occurred on Saturday, April 19. The Taliban member has been identified as Abdullah Safai. He reportedly killed his wife with an axe, and then shot and killed his brother and nephew. Information obtained indicates that Abdullah had a history of domestic violence and had joined the Taliban in 2017 after murdering his first wife. Local sources cited family disputes and a land conflict as the reasons behind the incident. So far, Taliban officials in Baghlan have not commented on the case. It is worth noting that some individuals within the Taliban ranks have criminal backgrounds, including involvement in murder, theft, and domestic violence.

Photo: UN Photo/Fardin Waez The International Rescue Committee has expressed concern over the reduction of U.S. financial aid to Afghanistan and emphasized that this funding cut has deprived 300,000 children of access to education. In a report, the committee stated that the restrictions imposed by the Taliban on women and girls have had destructive impacts on families in Afghanistan. According to the report, in areas lacking schools, the committee had initiated community-based education programs, but due to the reduction in financial aid in 2025, these programs were halted, resulting in 300,000 children losing educational opportunities. The International Rescue Committee has warned that with the reduction of U.S. financial aid, Afghan families are increasingly being pushed towards a crisis. The report further states that U.S. financial aid to the committee enables the provision of critical services, including medical treatments, cash assistance, educational programs, and other essential services to vulnerable families and communities. These concerns are raised at a time when the reduction in U.S. financial aid to Afghanistan has led to the closure of many relief organizations in the country.

Photo by ATIF ARYAN/AFP via Getty Images The United Nations Women’s Section states that more than 70% of Afghan women face serious challenges in accessing humanitarian aid. This organization recently published a report on the status of Afghan women's access to humanitarian aid in 2024 and warned that gender inequalities, widespread Taliban restrictions, and structural barriers have intensified vulnerabilities across all areas of aid delivery. According to the report, regulations such as the requirement of a male guardian’s accompaniment, dress restrictions, and the prohibition of women's work in non-governmental organizations and United Nations offices have severely limited women's access to essential services, including health, education, and nutrition. UN Women added that the ban on girls' education beyond primary school has reduced future job opportunities and perpetuated the cycle of poverty. According to this organization, while education is recognized as a vital necessity, only 43% of girls of school age are enrolled, and almost no girls between the ages of 13 to 17 attend school. The report also shows that female-headed households are disproportionately under economic pressure and face risks due to housing and food shortages. The UN stated that some families have been forced to take survival measures, such as skipping meals, preventing children from attending school, or resorting to early marriage. On the other hand, the shortage of female health workers, movement restrictions, and financial issues have severely limited women's access to healthcare and worsened maternal health, fertility, and mental health conditions. Pregnant and breastfeeding women also face the risk of malnutrition. UN Women has warned that women and girls in Afghanistan are facing increasing threats, including gender-based violence, early marriages, and displacement, and the restrictions on their participation in social decision-making are further marginalizing their position. This report has been published as the Taliban, after taking control of Afghanistan, have deprived women and girls of work and education. Over the past four years, this group has intensified its restrictions.

Photo: X/UNReliefChief Tom Fletcher, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations for Humanitarian Affairs, said during his trip to Afghanistan that development is not possible without education and full participation of girls. On Monday (28 April), he wrote on his X account that discussing the "enormous capacity" of Afghan women is at the top of his agenda during this trip to the country. Mr. Fletcher made these remarks after meeting with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Taliban. He described the meeting as "practical" and added that humanitarian challenges, including climate change, insecurity, and narcotics issues, were discussed during the meeting. This comes as the Taliban, after taking power, have imposed extensive restrictions against women and girls, including the ban on women's employment in United Nations offices and their deprivation of education.

social media Local sources in Daikundi province have reported the poisoning of dozens of female students in the schools of Kiti and Shahristan districts. According to the sources, on Wednesday morning (May 7), female students at the Kiti Girls' School suddenly showed symptoms of severe itching, nausea, and shortness of breath. The number of affected students is reported to be between 40 and 50. Sources confirmed that these students were transferred to the Kiti district clinic, and the condition of some of them has been described as critical. The cause of the poisoning is still unknown, but some students said they smelled a strange odor in the classrooms before the symptoms appeared. Meanwhile, health sources in the center of Daikundi stated that female students in the "Chah Chah" area of Shahristan district were also poisoned. The health status of these students has been described as stable. So far, local Taliban officials in Daikundi have not commented on the incident. It is worth mentioning that similar cases of poisoning were reported last year at the Tamran Girls' High School in Kiti district.

Sent to Zan TV The Lantern of Freedom Movement of Afghan Women has expressed concern in a statement regarding the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)'s consultations about handing over Afghanistan's permanent UN seat to the Taliban. The movement described this action as an attempt to gradually legitimize the Taliban and ignore the rights of the Afghan people. According to the statement released by the movement, initiating these consultations while the Taliban lacks any popular or legal legitimacy is a worrying step towards disregarding the will and rights of the Afghan people. The movement emphasized that the Taliban, through their "authoritarian" practices, systematic exclusion of women from social spheres, and suppression of fundamental freedoms, have repeatedly proven that they do not represent the real voice of the Afghan people. The movement also referenced the United Nations' "Mosaic Plan," launched by UNAMA to create an inclusive framework for dialogue with all stakeholders in Afghanistan. According to the Lantern of Freedom's statement, this initiative is proceeding without the genuine participation of the people, especially women, and risks becoming a tool for legitimizing the Taliban instead of facilitating national dialogue. One of the movement's members stated, "The United Nations, as the largest human rights authority, should not engage with the terrorist Taliban. No country in the world has the right to shake hands with the blood-stained hands of the Taliban." The Lantern of Freedom Movement called on the international community, human rights organizations, and the United Nations to pay greater attention to the will and rights of the Afghan people in decisions related to Afghanistan's political future. The movement also stressed the need to review the current processes. It is worth mentioning that the "Mosaic Plan," introduced by UNAMA, aims to create a dialogue space among all political and social stakeholders in Afghanistan. This plan is designed to facilitate the peace process and establish a framework for political engagement in Afghanistan. However, some human rights activists and civil society groups have expressed concerns that it could potentially lead to the legitimization of the Taliban.

Sent to Zan TV The Women's Yell Movement of Afghanistan has expressed concern over the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)'s consultations regarding the potential handover of Afghanistan's permanent UN seat to the Taliban. The movement described this as a "misogynistic and human rights-violating" act, warning that such a decision would mean legitimizing a repressive regime that is an open enemy of fundamental freedoms in Afghanistan. In a statement released by the movement, it emphasized that granting Afghanistan's UN seat to the Taliban is not only a betrayal of the blood of thousands of Afghan men and women who sacrificed their lives for rights, justice, and freedom but also a "blatant disregard for the UN's principles and commitments to human rights and women's rights." The Women's Yell Movement asserted that the Taliban, through systematic oppression and the removal of women's and girls' rights, do not represent the people of Afghanistan in any legitimate or popular way. Their access to Afghanistan's UN seat would be an attempt to normalize a regime that violates human rights. The movement warned that granting Afghanistan's seat to the Taliban would encourage the repetition of crimes, oppression, and violations of freedoms in other parts of the world. The statement declared, "The United Nations should not become a platform for legitimizing human rights violators." The Women's Yell Movement called on human rights, feminist, and democratic organizations worldwide to stand against this possible decision. Since coming to power in Afghanistan, the Taliban have issued more than 80 decrees that have stripped women and girls of all their rights. These restrictions have led to the exclusion of women from public life and forced them into domestic confinement. Furthermore, the United Nations has recently launched consultations under the name "Mosaic Initiative" for Afghanistan's political future. This initiative, led by UNAMA, aims to create an inclusive framework for dialogue with all stakeholders. However, many women's rights activists view this plan as an attempt to legitimize and normalize global relations with the Taliban.