Photo: UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, emphasized on Tuesday (June 17) on the sidelines of the UN Human Rights Council meeting that in order to achieve justice in Afghanistan, survivor-centered approaches are needed. He stated, "There is a need for more avenues, including survivor-centered pathways to achieve accountability." Bennett, while supporting the legalization of the term "gender apartheid," called for the establishment of an independent and comprehensive mechanism to investigate human rights violations in Afghanistan. He had previously described the Taliban-controlled judicial system as "a tool for maintaining a repressive and misogynistic ideology" and warned that this system, since August 2021, has profoundly changed and deviated from the principles of justice. Meanwhile, Negara Mirdad, Deputy Ambassador of Afghanistan in Poland, described the current situation of women in Afghanistan at this session as a clear example of gender apartheid and said, "What is happening in Afghanistan is not just repression, but gender apartheid." She added, "Our lives, voices, and capacities have been deliberately erased not only by the Taliban but also by the slow machinery of global justice." Mirdad emphasized that what is being imposed on Afghan women today is neither culture nor religion but the systematic destruction of the civic identity of womanhood. In her opinion, the international community is still debating terminology while Afghan women continue to be excluded from decision-making processes. She said, "We Afghan women are not asking for inclusion but for joint ownership of our country’s future. Justice without us is not justice, it is bureaucracy. Inclusion and accountability are not a favor, they are a duty." On the other hand, the organization "Inclusive and Women-Led" announced that it has prepared a report on "the destructive effects of the Taliban’s law on the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice on women" and will present it to the Human Rights Council. This report is based on consultations with 200 women from 20 provinces of Afghanistan and calls for greater international support for Afghan women.

The Purple Saturdays Movement says that following the recent Israeli attacks on Iran, dozens of Afghan migrant families, especially protesting women and human rights activists, have been forced to leave their homes, particularly in Tehran, and seek refuge in other parts of the country. In a statement released by the movement on Tuesday (June 17), it is stated that these migrants, who had previously fled to Iran to escape Taliban threats and save their lives, are now once again facing a critical and unsafe situation due to the recent tensions in the country. According to the organization, many of these families lack access to basic necessities, including drinking water, food, and adequate shelter, and are living under dire humanitarian and security conditions. The Purple Saturdays Movement has called on international organizations, particularly the United Nations office in Iran and human rights advocacy groups, to urgently provide shelter, security, and essential services to these migrants. The statement also emphasized that targeting civilians is considered a war crime under the principles of international humanitarian law. The movement urged the international community to take effective measures to protect the lives of Afghan migrants and asylum seekers in Iran. It also called on human rights activists in Afghanistan, Iran, and Israel to unite in solidarity and advocate for the protection of civilians.

X ScreenShot Amid rising tensions between Iran and Israel, the building of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) was hit by an Israeli missile strike on Monday (June 16) during a live broadcast, causing a brief interruption in the channel’s transmission. IRNA news agency reported on Tuesday (June 17) that as a result of this attack, the network’s news editor and one secretariat staff member were killed. Esmail Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reacted to the incident by calling Israel "the greatest enemy of truth" and described the attack as "a crime." In a post on platform X, he wrote that Israel "holds the record for killing journalists and media workers" worldwide. The spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry has called on the United Nations Security Council to take responsibility and act to stop Israel’s attacks on Iran. Meanwhile, the reciprocal clashes between Iran and Israel, which began on Friday, are still ongoing. The growing civilian death toll on both sides of the conflict has raised international concerns over the escalation of violence and its humanitarian consequences.

Photo: AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg The Israeli Prime Minister's Office has announced that since the beginning of Iran’s missile attacks on Friday until today, Monday (June 16), at least 24 people have died in Israel. According to this data, just since midnight last night, 11 more people have been added to the death toll. The total number of injured has been reported as 592. Israel's emergency services reported that more than 90 people were wounded in last night’s attacks. On the other side, Hossein Kermanpour, spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Health, announced that since the start of Israel’s attacks, 224 people have died in Iran. He reported the total number of dead and wounded as 1,481 and added that about ten percent of the victims were members of the Islamic Republic’s security and military forces. It is worth mentioning that Fatemeh Mohajerani, spokesperson for the Iranian government, stated yesterday that more than 30 women and children have been killed in these attacks. Mohammad Reza Zafarghandi, Iran’s Minister of Health, also confirmed that a large portion of the victims are civilians, especially women and children. Meanwhile, the reciprocal clashes between Iran and Israel, which began on Friday, are still ongoing. The rising number of civilian casualties on both sides has increased international concerns over escalating violence and its humanitarian consequences.

Photo: AP Images The Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has warned that the misuse of social media platforms, including insulting the Taliban, issuing threats, humiliation, or harassing people through fake accounts, is considered a crime under the group’s laws and the group will take serious action against users. The ministry's statement emphasized that social platforms should be used for legitimate purposes such as sharing useful information, education, business, and public awareness. The Taliban’s call for users to publish useful and educational content comes while the group itself has closed the doors of education to girls and has deprived millions of Afghan girls of their right to learn. The ministry has called on users to avoid unethical behavior online and to report any violations to the responsible authorities.

Photo: UN Photo/Manuel Elías Richard Bennett, the United Nations Human Rights Council's Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan, is set to present his new report titled "Access to Justice and Support for Afghan Women and Girls" today, Monday (June 16), at the fifty-ninth session of the council. Mr. Bennett stated on his official X page that some Afghan women will also accompany him during this session. According to him, Afghanistan is experiencing a deep humanitarian crisis that has transformed the lives of its citizens, especially women. He emphasized that women and girls have been systematically deprived of their fundamental rights, including education, work, and personal freedoms, and that the conditions for gender-based oppression and harassment have been created.

Photo: Ebrahim Noroozi / AP The United Nations says Afghanistan is facing one of the most severe malnutrition crises among children and women. According to the organization, more than 3.5 million children under the age of five are suffering from acute malnutrition, and the lives of 1.4 million of them are at serious risk. These figures were released on Sunday (June 25) in a joint statement by UN humanitarian agencies, including UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Food Programme (WFP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). These agencies have called for immediate, coordinated, and multisectoral action to address the nutrition crisis in Afghanistan. The statement notes that four out of every ten Afghan women are malnourished, a problem that often goes unnoticed. Additionally, nine out of ten young children live in food poverty and lack access to the necessary nutrients for healthy growth. According to the UN agencies, widespread food insecurity resulting from the economic crisis and climate change impacts such as drought has left about 9.8 million people in a state of severe malnutrition. Experts have warned that without urgent and sustained support, millions of families, especially with winter approaching will face extreme hunger and the threat of acute malnutrition. The statement emphasizes that malnutrition is not just a health issue but a cycle that affects generations. When women are deprived of adequate nutrition, their children also face serious risks to their growth, health, and survival. The United Nations has called for strengthening health, agriculture, education, water and sanitation systems, and social protection services to prevent and mitigate malnutrition and ensure that all children and women, especially in vulnerable areas, have access to nutritious food and support services. This statement comes at a time when global aid to Afghanistan has decreased, and the United States has also suspended its assistance to the country.

Photo: Majid Saeedi/Getty Images Following the ongoing war between Iran and Israel that began early Friday morning (June 13), statistics released by official Iranian sources indicate that a significant number of women and children have lost their lives in the recent attacks. Fatemeh Mohajerani, spokesperson for the Iranian government, stated during a live program on IRINN (Iran News Network) that despite Israeli officials' claims, "more than 30 women and children" have been killed in these attacks. She expressed sympathy with the victims' families and condemned Israel's attacks on residential areas. At the same time, Mohammad Reza Zafarghandi, Iran’s Minister of Health, noted the widespread mobilization of medical staff in hospitals and stated that a large portion of those killed or wounded in the recent conflict are ordinary civilians, particularly women and children. According to him, many of the victims were struck by missiles while asleep in their homes. Meanwhile, Esmail Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, announced that in one of Israel's strikes on a residential complex, at least 60 people were killed, 29 of whom were children. On the other side, Israel has also reported recent civilian casualties on its own soil. According to Israeli officials, ten people, including four children, were killed and over 200 wounded in last night’s rocket attacks by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Israeli cities. Additionally, 35 others are reported missing. These clashes, which began with heavy Israeli airstrikes targeting Iran's military and nuclear facilities, have now entered their third day. Civilian casualties, particularly among women and children, have become one of the most alarming aspects of this ongoing conflict.

Social Media Local sources in Kunar province report that three children have died in Sowkay district after consuming food contaminated with poisonous substances. According to the sources, the incident occurred before noon on Sunday (June 23) in the Babro area of Sowkay district. The incident reportedly happened when four children went to a watermelon field and consumed food items that had been contaminated with poisonous substances used for killing rodents. It has been stated that two of the children died at the Kunar Provincial Hospital, while the third passed away at the Nangarhar Regional Hospital. The fourth child is currently receiving treatment at the Nangarhar Regional Hospital. Local sources have added that in connection with this incident, the Taliban have arrested several local shopkeepers and farmers. However, Taliban officials in Kunar have not yet made an official statement regarding the matter.

Social Media Local Taliban officials in Kapisa province report that a woman and her child drowned in a river in Hesa Awal Kohistan district and lost their lives. According to the Taliban’s police command in Kapisa, the incident occurred on Friday noon (June 13) in the Gulbahar River, located in Hesa Awal Kohistan district. The command stated that the woman drowned while trying to save her child from drowning, resulting in the deaths of both mother and child. It was reported that the victims had gone to the riverside for recreation.