Photo: Ariana Sayeed / Instagram (@aryanasayeed) Aryana Sayeed, the renowned singer and women's rights advocate from Afghanistan, received two prestigious awards at the latest edition of the international music festival "Daf Bama," held in Germany. This festival, which took place in the city of Oberhausen with the participation of artists from various countries, honored Ms. Sayeed for her humanitarian and artistic contributions by presenting her with two awards: one for "Best Afghan Artist" and another, the special "Daf Bama Humanitarian Award." After receiving the awards, Aryana Sayeed dedicated them to the women of Afghanistan and stressed in her speech that the voices of Afghan women would not be silenced under pressure. She said, "The Taliban cannot silence the women of Afghanistan," and called on the international community not to remain indifferent to the deprivation of Afghan women's rights. It is worth noting that the "Daf Bama" Festival is considered one of the most prestigious multicultural music events in Europe, recognizing artists who, in addition to their artistic achievements, have made significant contributions to human rights and social causes. Ms. Sayeed also expressed her joy over receiving the awards on her Instagram page, writing: "Receiving the Best Afghan Artist and Daf Bama Humanity Awards is an honor I will cherish for years to come."

Photo: Omid Fazel / The Telegraph The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says that four million children in Afghanistan are deprived of attending school due to the lack of proper educational facilities. According to the agency’s latest report published on Monday (2 June), the absence of standard school buildings, a shortage of clean drinking water, and a lack of teachers, especially female teachers, are among the major challenges affecting children's education. The UNICEF report also states that economic poverty is a significant factor behind school dropouts among children. Many children are forced to work in markets to support their family’s income, abandoning their education. The organization emphasized that it is working to improve girls’ access to education by focusing more on the recruitment of female teachers, as families in many areas prefer their daughters to be taught by women. This comes as the Taliban, after regaining power in Afghanistan, have banned girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade. According to UNICEF, more than two million girls are deprived of education in 2025.

Social Media The Taliban’s Supreme Court has announced that four individuals, including a woman, were publicly flogged in Faryab province. According to a statement released by the court on Saturday (31 May), these individuals were accused of “extortion” and “fraud” and received between 30 to 35 lashes in public. The statement adds that two of the accused were also sentenced to seven and six years in prison respectively, while the other two received five-year prison terms. This comes as public punishments by the Taliban have intensified again in recent days, a trend that has consistently sparked widespread domestic and international reactions. Human rights organizations have repeatedly condemned these actions as violations of human rights and contrary to the principles of fair trial. However, the Taliban continue to insist on carrying out these punishments, which they claim are “in accordance with Islamic Sharia.”

Photo: Wakil KOHSAR / AFP Local sources in Khost province report that the Taliban have forced a number of students from grades one to six to take part in a protest against the United States and Israel. According to the sources, on Saturday (May 31), the Taliban’s Department of Education in the province gathered children from schools and kept them under the sun for several hours. The group compelled the students to chant slogans in support of Palestine and against the US and Israel. Families of some of the children accused the Taliban of "exploiting" students and expressed dissatisfaction with the move. This comes while the Taliban have not allowed any protests by their opponents over the past three years, yet on the previous day, they organized large gatherings in several provinces in support of Palestine. It is worth noting that the use of children in political programs is considered a violation of educational principles and international commitments regarding child rights.

Social Media The Taliban’s police command in Nangarhar says that a young man in Jalalabad city committed suicide after killing his father and mother. According to the statement, the incident took place on Friday night (May 30) in the Hada-e-Kabul area, which falls under the fifth security district of Jalalabad city. Sayed Tayeb Hamad, spokesperson for the Taliban’s police command in Nangarhar, stated that a man named Ziaullah killed his parents with a knife following a verbal altercation, and then took his own life. According to Hamad, Ziaullah was suffering from a mental illness.

Photo: UNAMAnews/X The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has announced that its Deputy Special Representative for Political Affairs, Georgette Gagnon, visited Bamyan province and met with Taliban officials, women, local elders, and business owners. According to UNAMA’s statement, on Thursday (May 29), Ms. Gagnon visited an educational center and a health facility dedicated to women and children struggling with addiction in Bamyan. Several residents of Bamyan expressed their concerns during meetings with the UN delegation, highlighting the sharp decline in international aid, growing challenges in the political, social, and economic sectors, and increasing poverty. Meanwhile, a group of female journalists from Radio Bamyan also met with Ms. Gagnon and provided information about the station’s awareness-raising programs for women and girls, particularly in the areas of health and education. They emphasized the need for support for local media outlets. According to the UNAMA press release, Ms. Gagnon reiterated the United Nations’ commitment to the people of Afghanistan and stressed the importance of education for girls and women. She also discussed ongoing efforts to international engagement. While a portion of international aid has been reduced in recent months, UN officials have previously warned that the withdrawal of financial support by some donor countries, including the United States, has worsened the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

Photo: IRC The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has announced that Afghanistan, with over 23 million people in need, including 12 million children, is experiencing the second largest humanitarian crisis in the world. According to the organization’s latest report, the restrictions imposed by the Taliban on women and girls have significantly increased humanitarian needs across the country. UNICEF emphasized that the ban on girls’ education, especially at the secondary level, has seriously affected their learning opportunities. At present, no secondary schools for girls are open in Afghanistan. The report also states that the effects of climate change, natural disasters, poverty, and lack of adequate access to healthcare, nutrition, and clean drinking water have placed the lives of millions at risk. The United Nations has repeatedly warned that the Taliban’s restrictions on women not only violate human rights but also hinder the delivery of aid to those in need. Although the international community has called for the removal of these restrictions, the Taliban have so far ignored these demands and continue to insist on implementing policies they claim are based on "Sharia."

Social Media The Taliban’s Supreme Court has announced that five individuals, including one woman, were publicly flogged in the provinces of Kunduz and Kabul. These individuals were punished on charges of "extramarital relations" and "selling alcohol and narcotic substances." According to a statement issued by the court on Thursday (May 29), the Taliban’s Primary Court in Qala-e-Zal district of Kunduz province sentenced a woman and a man to flogging and three years of imprisonment for having an extramarital relationship. In another case, the court reported the execution of flogging sentences for three other men in Kabul, who were convicted of selling narcotics and alcoholic beverages. They were sentenced to one to two years in prison along with flogging. The Taliban did not provide any details regarding the identities of the individuals or the legal proceedings in its statement. Since the return of the Taliban to power, punishments such as public flogging under the pretext of "implementing Sharia rulings" have been widely carried out, drawing strong reactions from human rights organizations and the United Nations. International bodies consider these actions to be in violation of fair trial principles and a breach of human rights.

Photo: WFP/Rana Deraz The World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that more than four million women and children in Afghanistan are affected by malnutrition. In a video shared on the social media platform X, the organization stated that some of these individuals are currently receiving treatment at clinics supported by WFP. It is worth mentioning that the organization had previously warned that the number of children suffering from malnutrition in Afghanistan could reach 3.5 million by the year 2025. According to a report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the rate of malnutrition in Afghanistan has increased compared to four years ago. OCHA and WFP have identified widespread poverty, unemployment, and food insecurity as the main causes of this situation.

Photo: wikipedia Local sources in Khost province have reported that five people, including two women, were killed following a clash between two families in the Tani district of this province. The incident occurred on Wednesday (May 28), and according to the sources, four members of one family, including the father, mother, daughter, and son, lost their lives in this conflict. One person from the opposing family was also killed. Sources have confirmed that a newlywed woman was also injured during the incident, and the main cause of the clash has been described as a dispute over issues related to children. Meanwhile, the Taliban police command in Khost has also confirmed the incident but has not provided further details. It is worth mentioning that similar cases of violence, especially over land and family disputes, have previously been reported in several provinces of the country.