Zan News: Malala Yousafzai, education activist and Nobel laureate, has expressed concern over the forced deportation of Afghan citizens, particularly women and girls, from Pakistan. She warned that this process puts them at risk of "suffering the Taliban's brutal oppression" and disproportionately affects Afghan women. Illustration: Zan TV / AI-generated Malala Yousafzai: Women and Girls in Afghanistan Facing Unacceptable Abuse and Threats July 6, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Malala Yousafzai, education activist and Nobel laureate, has expressed concern over the forced deportation of Afghan citizens, particularly women and girls, from Pakistan. She warned that this process puts them at risk of "suffering the Taliban's brutal oppression" and disproportionately affects Afghan women. In a message posted on her X account, Ms. Yousafzai wrote that under the Taliban's "gender apartheid" system, women and girls face unacceptable abuse and threats. Highlighting the Taliban's policies towards women and girls, Malala Yousafzai emphasized that their safety should be a priority and urged the Pakistani government to reconsider the forced deportation of Afghan citizens and protect Afghan women and girls from "oppression." She added that women and girls in Afghanistan are denied education beyond the sixth grade, and the Pakistani government should ensure that Afghan girls who remain in Pakistan have access to education. This comes as Pakistan initiated a forced deportation drive of undocumented migrants from the country in November last year, which includes 1.7 million Afghan citizens residing there. According to the latest statistics released by the International Organization for Migration, over 500,000 people have been returned from Pakistan to Afghanistan, with around 80% of them being women and girls. Previously, various organizations, including the United Nations and Amnesty International, have called on Pakistan to halt this process, as women and girls are deprived of all their rights under Taliban rule.

Zan News: Malala Yousafzai, women's rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has stated that the Taliban’s ban on girls' education in Afghanistan is not only an injustice but "gender apartheid." File photo: Sgt. Ken Scar / DVIDS / Public Domain Malala Yousafzai: Taliban’s Ban on Girls’ Education is Gender Apartheid March 24, 2025 Zan News Zan News: Malala Yousafzai, women's rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has stated that the Taliban’s ban on girls' education in Afghanistan is not only an injustice but "gender apartheid." In a video message posted by the Malala Fund on X on Sunday (March 23), she emphasized that this is the fourth consecutive year that girls over the age of 11 have been deprived of schooling under Taliban rule. In her message, Malala Yousafzai said, "Since 2021, the Taliban have stripped girls of their opportunities and their future." Her organization has called on individuals and global organizations to take action in solidarity with Afghan women and girls, advocating for their right to education and urging the international community to hold the Taliban accountable. Since their return to power in 2021, the Taliban have shut down secondary schools and high schools for girls. Despite widespread international criticism, they have not only refused to reverse their policies but have further intensified restrictions on girls' education.

Zan News: Malala Yousafzai, women's rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, says that the Taliban who have occupied Afghanistan are who that banned music and television in Pakistan's Swat Valley in 2008. Illustration: Zan TV / AI-generated Malala Yousafzai: Afghanistan is Occupied by Taliban Who Banned Music and TV in My Village August 19, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Malala Yousafzai, women's rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, says that the Taliban who have occupied Afghanistan are who that banned music and television in Pakistan's Swat Valley in 2008. According to Deadline, Yousafzai made these remarks on Monday (August 19) on her Instagram page after attending a Taylor Swift concert in London. Malala Yousafzai stated, "The Taliban who have occupied Afghanistan who banned music and television in my village in 2008." She also expressed hope that one day girls will be able to attain all their rights. These statements are made while that the Taliban, following their return to power in Afghanistan, have widely violated the rights of citizens, especially women and girls.

Zan News: Malala Yousafzai, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, criticized the international community for its neglect of the situation of women in Afghanistan. In reaction to Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election, she said, “We need brave leaders who stand with Afghan women and support their rights.” Illustration: Zan TV / AI-generated Malala in Responds to Trump's Victory: "We Need Brave Leaders Who Stand with Afghan Women" November 10, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Malala Yousafzai, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, criticized the international community for its neglect of the situation of women in Afghanistan. In reaction to Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election, she said, “We need brave leaders who stand with Afghan women and support their rights.” Sky News published an interview with Malala Yousafzai, the women’s rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, on Saturday (November 9). In the conversation, Yousafzai once again highlighted the systemic violence faced by women in Afghanistan under the Taliban's rule. She pointed out that only a small portion of the Taliban's restrictions on Afghan women are covered by the media, while women in Afghanistan face continuous and systemic violence. Malala Yousafzai added, “We cannot ignore the issue of Afghanistan.” When asked about Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. elections, she stressed, “We need brave leaders who are alongside Afghan women. Leaders who are brave enough to take action.” She also referred to the restrictions imposed by the Taliban during their first rule and emphasized that these restrictions continue in their second rule as well. Criticizing the international community’s indifference to the situation of Afghan women, she added, “The rule of a fundamentalist group has stripped all rights from women, turning everything into a crime. That is why Afghan women are demanding the recognition of gender apartheid.”

Zan News: Syed Abdul Wahed Sadat, Deputy of the Afghanistan Saffron Union, states that 85% of saffron processing in the country is carried out by women. He adds that currently, between 50,000 to 60,000 women are employed in saffron processing in Herat province. File photo: DVIDS / Public Domain Afghanistan Saffron Union: Over 50,000 Women Are Employed in Saffron Processing in Herat November 24, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Syed Abdul Wahed Sadat, Deputy of the Afghanistan Saffron Union, states that 85% of saffron processing in the country is carried out by women. He adds that currently, between 50,000 to 60,000 women are employed in saffron processing in Herat province. The Bakhtar news agency, under Taliban control, reports, quoting the Afghanistan Saffron Union, that over 50,000 women are involved in Afghanistan's saffron industry. Meanwhile, the Taliban had previously announced that after the ban on opium poppy cultivation, saffron farming has increased in 26 provinces of Afghanistan. According to the Taliban Ministry of Industry and Commerce, last year, 67 tons of saffron worth $49 million were exported to nine countries. Additionally, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) had announced that it secured a large order for 600 kilograms of Afghan saffron at the 2024 Paris exhibition. The annual value of this order reaches $1.07 million. Furthermore, the International Institute of "Taste" in Belgium, after laboratory tests, named Herat saffron as the best in flavor, awarding it first place.

Zan News: AFP reports that in the past three years, due to the deprivation of Afghan women and girls from education and employment opportunities, many of them have turned to small businesses to support their families. File photo: DVIDS / Public Domain AFP: A Large Number of Afghan Women Turn to Small Businesses Due to Taliban Restrictions November 24, 2024 Zan News Zan News: AFP reports that in the past three years, due to the deprivation of Afghan women and girls from education and employment opportunities, many of them have turned to small businesses to support their families. The news agency quotes women working in small businesses in the country, explaining that they are striving to meet their family needs. One of these women, Zainab Firozi, supports her family through carpet weaving. She has employed dozens of women and girls in a small factory, who, due to Taliban restrictions, have been deprived of job and educational opportunities. According to the report, since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, the employment rate for women has drastically decreased. The UN Women notes that before the Taliban's return to power, women made up 26% of government employees, but now this figure has dropped to zero. On the other hand, Tooba Zahid, a 28-year-old mother from Kabul, turned to making jams and pickles after the ban on education for women and girls. She stated, “I entered the business world to create job opportunities for women so that they could have an income to meet their immediate needs.” However, Fariba Noori, President of the Afghanistan Women's Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AWCCI), emphasized that women like Tooba Zahid, who are involved in small businesses, are unable to promote and sell their products in the market on their own. Noori added that despite these challenges, the number of small registered factories in chamber has increased since the Taliban took power. She explained that over the past three years, the number of small and home-based businesses has risen from 600 large companies to around 10,000, along with a few larger businesses. Nevertheless, women working in these small factories have mentioned that their earnings are insufficient to meet the needs of their families. It is worth noting that since the Taliban returned to power, they have imposed severe restrictions on women’s education and employment, causing the most harm to families where women are the primary breadwinners.

Zan News: Fawzia Koofi, former member of parliament and women's rights activist, said in an interview with the Canadian newspaper "The Globe and Mail" that the Taliban's policies on women, including their complete removal from the public sphere, are stricter than during their first rule in the 1990s. She added: "Hoping for change from the Taliban is naive." Illustration: Zan TV / AI-generated Fawzia Koofi: Hoping for Change from the Taliban is Naive November 13, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Fawzia Koofi, former member of parliament and women's rights activist, said in an interview with the Canadian newspaper "The Globe and Mail" that the Taliban's policies on women, including their complete removal from the public sphere, are stricter than during their first rule in the 1990s. She added: "Hoping for change from the Taliban is naive." In this interview, published on Tuesday (November 12), Koofi referred to the Taliban’s oppressive laws against women, particularly the regulation of "promoting virtue and preventing vice," which regards women's voices as "awrah." Recalling the changes over the past two decades in Afghanistan, she noted that the difference between today and 30 years ago is that Afghan women now have the experience of living in a more open society. Koofi added: "At that time, women did not resist because they had no experience of a different environment." She pointed out that during the Taliban's first rule in 1999, there was no official decree banning women's voices in the public sphere, and social media did not exist. Highlighting the current severe restrictions imposed by the Taliban on women, Koofi asked: "How can one live in conditions where everything is controlled? How can one continue to live with the fear of what might happen to you and your family if you do not comply with these rules?" However, she believes that the more rigidly the Taliban act, the more women will turn to resistance and protest. Koofi stated: "When I speak to women, they tell me they have nothing left to lose; they have already lost everything." She also expressed concern over the global community's lack of attention to the situation of Afghan women, saying: "We do not want the world to make policies for us; we will do that ourselves. We will mobilize people and shape our narrative. We only need the support of the international community and the creation of joint strategies." She emphasized that the political independence of Afghan women must be recognized.

Zan News: Golshifteh Farahani, a prominent Iranian actress, strongly criticized the deprivation of Afghan women and girls from sports and education during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Illustration: Zan TV / AI-generated Golshifteh Farahani: Depriving Afghan Women of Sports and Education is Madness July 28, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Golshifteh Farahani, a prominent Iranian actress, strongly criticized the deprivation of Afghan women and girls from sports and education during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics. In an interview with the media, Farahani called the Taliban's action "madness" and told Afghan women, "You are not alone, and this injustice cannot last." Regarding the freedom struggle of Afghan women, she added, "Every woman's fight for freedom is the fight of all women in the world." Farahani emphasized the importance of solidarity among women, referring to the advocacy of women in Iran and Afghanistan, and said, "As long as we are together and hand in hand, nothing will stop us." Golshifteh Farahani is a famous actress in Iranian and international cinema, and her films have many fans in Afghanistan. She is the main actress in the film "The Patience Stone" (2012), directed by Atiq Rahimi, in which she plays the role of an Afghan woman. This comes amidst nearly three years of extensive restrictions imposed by the Taliban on women's rights in Afghanistan. Currently, women and girls in Afghanistan are denied the right to education, work, sports, and social participation. It is worth mentioning that six athletes, including three women and three men, are representing Afghanistan in the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Taliban has announced that they do not recognize the girls included in this team as athletes of Afghanistan.

Zan News: The World Food Program states that some families in Afghanistan are giving their young daughters in marriage due to severe poverty and hunger. File photo: Staff Sgt. Russell Lee Klika / U.S. Army National Guard / Public Domain World Food Program: Families in Afghanistan Give Their Young Daughters in Marriage Due to Poverty November 7, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The World Food Program states that some families in Afghanistan are giving their young daughters in marriage due to severe poverty and hunger. Today, Thursday (November 7), the organization described this situation as a "heartbreaking story" for some families in Afghanistan in a video shared on social media platform X. According to the World Food Program, recurring droughts and climate crises are among the main reasons for the worsening poverty in Afghanistan. Previously, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that Afghanistan has received a total of $6.7 billion in humanitarian aid over the past three years, yet the economic crisis in the country continues. This report comes as the International Federation of Red Cross also mentioned in its recent report that 23.7 million people in Afghanistan require "urgent" humanitarian assistance this year. The federation warned that the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan has become more complicated, with the country facing long-term challenges. The organization cited frequent natural disasters, severe impacts of climate change, internal displacement, economic problems, food insecurity, and health sector challenges as main factors contributing to Afghanistan's humanitarian crises.

Zan News: Malala Yousafzai, women’s rights activist and Nobel laureate, stated in an interview with "Kake" TV (affiliated with ABC) that "The Taliban are not the true representatives of Islam and Afghan culture" and that Islam has never prohibited the education and work of women. Illustration: Zan TV / AI-generated Malala Yousafzai: The Taliban Are Not the True Representatives of Islam and Afghan Culture November 19, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Malala Yousafzai, women’s rights activist and Nobel laureate, stated in an interview with "Kake" TV (affiliated with ABC) that "The Taliban are not the true representatives of Islam and Afghan culture" and that Islam has never prohibited the education and work of women. She further emphasized that the lack of global support for Afghan women is a significant mistake, and its consequences will not be limited to Afghanistan alone. Ms. Yousafzai pointed out the long-term impacts of depriving Afghan women of education under the Taliban's rule, stating: "The less Afghan women are educated, the more their children are exposed to dangerous (extremist) ideologies." This comes as the Taliban, since regaining power, have stripped citizens, especially women, of their fundamental rights and freedoms, imposing severe restrictions on their movement within the country, including in parks. The Taliban have also banned girls and women above the sixth grade from attending schools and universities. With the enactment of their new law, the Taliban have also prohibited the voices and faces of women in public spaces, including the voices of adult women in activities such as "Quran recitation, Dhikr, and prayers," when done alongside other adult women. These actions by the Taliban have sparked widespread internal and global reactions, including from Islamic countries and religious scholars, but the Taliban have yet to make any changes to these policies.