Image: AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd "My father sold me to feed his stomach." "The pain of the 100 lashes the Taliban gave me in front of the public is engraved in my brain, mind, and bones." "My father is more cruel than the Taliban. I am sick, I weave carpets to earn money to go to the doctor, but my father says, why should a girl go to the doctor?" These are the quotes of Afghan girls and women who are experiencing their tragic lives under the shadow of the gun and the so-called Islamic regime of the Taliban. November 25th is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women; but, in Afghanistan, violence in every sense has rooted deeply in every aspect of women's lives, intertwined with every moment of their existence, to the extent that the phenomenon of violence has become an inseparable part of the lives of women and girls in this country. Setara, a 15-year-old girl from Herat, once dreamed of becoming a pilot, hoping that one day she would soar above Afghanistan in a military aircraft, gazing at the land below. Every morning, she would tuck her books under her arm and head to school. However, now, with a voice filled with sorrow, a throat choked with emotion, and a body trembling from the pain and suffering, she says that with the rise of the Taliban and the ban on girls' education, not only has she not achieved her dream, but she has also experienced childhood motherhood, divorce, widowhood, and the burden of being the breadwinner for her family. She, just as she holds the strands of black wool, like her life, to weave them into a corner of her carpet, narrates her life’s hardships: "The rhythm of life did not dance to our tune. I was in seventh grade when the Taliban declared it forbidden for us to go to school. I, like thousands of other sisters, became a housebound girl. My father said I had to marry my cousin. I refused, but by force, he made me marry. Truly, my father sold me to fill his stomach. Seven months passed since my wedding, and he divorced me." Tears and crying no longer allow Setara peace. As she holds a corner of her scarf with her right hand and wipes away her tears, she says: "The Taliban showed no mercy to me, it was the people. But why did my father, who I was a part of, do this to me? Right now, neither my father provides food and expenses for me and my child, nor do I have anyone else. It has been two and a half years since my divorce and marriage." Setara, who once shone like a star among dozens of other girls and was the top student from first to seventh grade, now carries the sorrow of not having a guardian along with the responsibility of her eight-month-old child. Although Afghanistan has long been a place of violence for girls and women, with the return of the Taliban to power, life for millions of women and girls in Afghanistan has once again turned into a life in hell. Over three years since the Taliban’s gender-apartheid rule and the imposition of restrictions on work, activity, education, and learning for women and girls, the group has adopted its official and systematic policy of misogyny. Ayla Mohammadi, a 16-year-old girl and a resident of Daikundi province, still spends her nights haunted by nightmares of prison and the Taliban's whip, two years after the bitter reality of being publicly flogged. She says that for the crime of going to the Daikundi market with her cousin, she was arrested, imprisoned, and publicly flogged by the Taliban: "My father is in Iran, and I had no one else. I went to the market with my cousin to buy household items, but the Islamic Emirate forces arrested me, accusing me of going out with a non-mahram. They told me he was my boyfriend. We were imprisoned for two months, and every day they beat us with cables and whips." Ayla, with tearful eyes, continues her words and adds: "They would tie my hands with handcuffs. I was in an underground prison. After two months, they took me to a public square in front of all the people and lashed me 100 times for the crime of adultery. The burning sensation from the 100 lashes that the Taliban gave me in front of the public is engraved in my mind, my thoughts, and my bones. I will never forget how they unjustly tarnished my reputation." Aisha, another girl deprived of education and suffering from depression, has sought refuge in a carpet weaving workshop to find the funds for her treatment. However, she says that not only is she facing the injustice imposed on women and girls by the Taliban, but the oppression from her father is no less than that of the Taliban. "Last year, I went to school for the last time. When we finished sixth grade, the Taliban said we couldn’t go to school anymore. I became a housebound girl and fell into depression. I always cry. I’m sick, and for my treatment, I came to weave carpets. But my father takes the two thousand Afghanis I earn in a month. My father is even more cruel than the Taliban. I’m sick, weaving carpets so I can see a doctor, but my father says, ‘Why should a girl go to the doctor?’" While girls and women share bitter and harrowing accounts of the violence they face from the Taliban and domestic abuse, this year, on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls, various domestic and international organizations, including the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belgium, Amnesty International, the Afghan Center for Legal Studies and Research, and protest movements, once again called for an end to the violence against women and girls in Afghanistan in their statements.

Karima, a woman who lives in Kabul with her three daughters, is an example of the many female household heads in Afghanistan who face numerous challenges in providing for their families and caring for their children amidst the country's current economic and social hardships. Fifteen years ago, Karima lost her husband in a car accident and has since been solely responsible for raising her three daughters. Due to various health conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart problems, Karima is unable to work. The only source of income for the family is the 14-year-old daughter, who sells vegetables on the streets dressed as a boy. Karima says, "I am sick myself. I have diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Because of this, I cannot work. Only one daughter of mine works, who is 14 years old. My daughter dresses as a boy and works so that she appears to be a boy, because if it is known that she is a girl, she cannot work and will face problems." Speaking about the challenges her 14-year-old daughter faced working outside the home, she said, "My daughter used to face a lot of problems when she worked outside the home. She had long hair and wore a headscarf, which caused her problems at work. People who knew she was a girl, they say all kinds of things to her. Finally, I had to cut her hair short and put her in boy's clothes." Karima's daughter also faces harassment and work stoppage by the Taliban while working. Karimeh says, "The Taliban create problems, sometimes they let my daughter's cart work and sometimes they don't." The Karima family is struggling with extreme poverty. They are barely able to afford basic living expenses such as food, shelter, and medicine. Karima says she has not been able to pay rent for three months and they often go through meals without food. Karima speaks about the hardships of meeting basic needs: "We are unable to meet our basic needs. We are struggling to get by, and our days and nights are spent in hardship. Even if we have food one time, we won't have food for two other times." She has also faced gender discrimination due to being a woman. Her brother-in-law threw her out of her husband's house and deprived her of her inheritance. Karima says, "When my husband died, my brother-in-law threw me out of the house and did not give me my rights because I was a woman and I could not defend myself." Karima has so far received little help from humanitarian organizations. She says that aid often goes to people close to the "representative of area" and not to needy families like hers. Karima says about the challenges of female-headed households in Afghanistan that "the situation in Afghanistan is very bad. It is very difficult for a woman to earn a living for her family and household and to be the head of the household." Karima's wish for the future is to have a peaceful and secure life for herself and her daughters. She hopes that her daughters will be able to go to school, get an education and have a good job. Karima also calls for equal rights for women and equal opportunities for education, work and participation in society. She calls on the Taliban to allow women to be educated and employed.

Photo: WHO The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has announced that during 2024, more than two million children in Afghanistan have received the measles vaccine. This organization stated on Monday (28 April) through a message that all vaccinated children were under five years of age, and the purpose of this action has been stated as protecting them against preventable diseases. Emphasizing its commitment to supporting children across Afghanistan, UNICEF added that, in cooperation with its partners, it strives to ensure that children throughout Afghanistan are protected against preventable diseases such as measles. This comes as the World Health Organization had warned last year about the increase in measles cases in Afghanistan. The organization had recorded about 25,000 suspected cases of infection and 64 deaths caused by this disease in the country.

Photo: UN Dozens of civil organizations and groups advocating for women's rights and social activists have expressed concern over and strongly criticized the "Comprehensive Approach for Afghanistan" plan by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in a joint statement. The statement says that this plan is contrary to the impartial and humanitarian mission of the United Nations and provides a platform for legitimizing the Taliban. 54 civil organizations have warned that the participation of the Taliban in this plan undermines the principles of democracy and human rights and eliminates the true voice of the people, especially women. The signatories of this statement emphasized that the "mosaic approach" in the UNAMA plan reduces human rights to negotiable issues and considers this approach contradictory to the universal principles of human rights. Furthermore, these organizations have called the instrumental use of humanitarian aid for political purposes unacceptable and stated that such an action undermines the principle of neutrality in humanitarian aid. The signatories have warned that the UNAMA plan paves the way for the Taliban's return to the international system without any fundamental changes in their behavior or structure. They have called for the immediate suspension of this process, a fundamental review of the plan with the involvement of true representatives of the Afghan people, non-recognition of the Taliban, and a return of UNAMA to its human rights-centered and impartial mission. Meanwhile, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) had previously prepared a roadmap titled "Comprehensive Approach for Afghanistan" on February 17, 2025. According to UNAMA, this roadmap aims to create a political path for achieving peace and reintegrating Afghanistan into the global community. UNAMA has clarified that this plan was developed based on the United Nations' independent assessments and with the approval of Security Council Resolution 2721. Despite this, some women’s rights activists have emphasized that this approach, instead of supporting the rights of the people of Afghanistan, paves the way for legitimizing the Taliban.

Photo: A. Perez Meca/Europa Press/ABACAPRESS.COM The Purple Saturdays Movement has warned in a statement that the possible suspension of the relocation process for local employees and human rights activists to Germany could place dozens of individuals in direct danger. The movement stated that such a decision by the future German government would be a troubling sign of disregard for the fate of those who, for years, worked alongside German institutions in support of human rights values, especially women's rights. The statement added that these individuals at risk may not only fall victim to structural violence and gender apartheid, but could also be used by the Taliban and extremist groups as tools to apply political pressure on the German government and the international community. The Purple Saturdays Movement emphasized that continuing the relocation of these individuals is a humanitarian, moral, political, and historical responsibility for Germany, a country that has long been at the forefront of defending human rights, particularly women's rights. According to the statement, women under threat spend each day in fear and anxiety, looking to the German government with hope that it will honor its commitments and treat the support of local partners and women not merely as a promise, but as a critical and urgent priority. The movement has called on all civil society organizations, human rights institutions, media, and women's rights activists to raise their voices in solidarity to help save the lives of those at risk. This comes as German media in recent days have reported a temporary halt to the relocation of Afghan refugees. According to reports, more than 2,600 government-approved Afghan refugees are currently in Pakistan.

Photo: Paula Bronstein | Getty Images In a world full of human rights slogans, education is still not a right but a conditional privilege for many children, especially girls. For Afghan girls, this privilege is now more threatened than ever before, both under the shadow of the Taliban in Afghanistan and under the sunlight of discrimination in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Two systems, two ideologies, but one shared goal: the systematic denial of Afghan children’s right to education. The Policy of Elimination: From Kabul to Tehran The Education Department of Tehran’s counties recently issued an official notice declaring that Afghan refugee students who hold census slips or return-to-Afghanistan papers are no longer allowed to enroll in schools in Iran for the 1404 academic year. This announcement clearly indicates that the Iranian government has decided to effectively remove thousands of Afghan refugee children from its formal education system. The text of this directive states that school principals should not only refuse to enroll these students but also must not refer their families to the Department of Education for further assistance. Such a decision gives this discrimination a completely formal and legal face and, in effect, closes the doors of education to Afghan children. Many of these children left Afghanistan with nothing but hope for an education. Girls: The Perpetual Victims According to official statistics, more than two million Afghan refugees in Iran possess census slips. Among them, around 610,000 students have been enrolled in Iranian schools. It is now unclear how many of these students will be deprived of their right to education due to this new decision. What is clear, however, is the rapid collapse of educational rights for Afghans in a country that claims to uphold Islamic justice. Afghan girls are once again the first victims. In Afghanistan, the Taliban closed the doors of schools to them. Now in Iran, they are losing even the chance to register. Families who endured hardship and risked everything through migration for the future of their children are now faced with locked doors, closed and sealed by official order. The Taliban and the Islamic Republic: Two Paths, One Destination The Taliban, with a rigid and extremist interpretation of religion, declared school forbidden for girls. The Islamic Republic of Iran, using administrative and legal procedures, achieves the same result without the need for an official announcement banning girls' education. Both ultimately arrive at the same conclusion: preventing the intellectual growth and empowerment of the young Afghan generation, especially girls. This unspoken yet obvious alignment is a serious warning for the international community and human rights organizations. If the Taliban, in the name of religion, and Iran, in the name of law, are depriving children of education, then what difference remains between the two? Education: The Last Remaining Stronghold In a world where Afghan refugees face waves of inequality, discrimination, and violence, education remains the last stronghold of hope. A child who holds a pen might be able to break the chains of discrimination. But when that very pen is taken away, the future becomes dark not only for the child but for an entire society. Preventing children from accessing education, especially based on ethnicity or documentation status, is a blatant violation of human rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and even the fundamental principles of Islam. Yet in the face of this clear violation, not only do international organizations remain silent, but their indifferent silence has itself become a form of complicity. An End to Injustice? Afghan girls in Kabul were pushed out of school after sixth grade. Afghan girls in Tehran are deprived of the right to register before even entering the classroom. And families who were searching for a way to save their children’s future now find themselves trapped once again, this time by policy, cruelty, and injustice. When education, the most basic human right, is taken from an Afghan child, what justice is left to talk about?

AFP Recent human rights reports have raised serious concerns over the forced return policies of migrants from Turkey to unsafe countries such as Afghanistan and Syria. These reports particularly highlight the European Union’s financial support to Turkey, amounting to more than 11 billion euros, provided as part of migration management and crisis response agreements. This approach by the European Union to control migration flows comes amid consistent warnings from human rights organisations about the deteriorating security and humanitarian conditions in those countries. EU Financial Support and Turkey’s Role: According to the report, the European Union has provided substantial financial assistance to Turkey to enable the country to play a more active role in managing the migration and refugee crisis. These funds, allocated through financial agreements and joint border management programmes, were primarily intended to improve migration infrastructure and help meet the basic needs of refugees. However, evidence indicates that part of this funding has been used to implement forced return policies, which are inconsistent with international human rights standards. Situation in Afghanistan and Syria: The forced return of migrants to Afghanistan and Syria is highly sensitive and alarming from a human rights perspective. Security conditions in Afghanistan have severely deteriorated since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, with serious threats to life and fundamental freedoms. Reports from multiple human rights organisations indicate that Afghan returnees face significant risks, including arrest, torture, and even death. In Syria, after more than a decade of civil war, the security and humanitarian situation remains critical. Large parts of the country are still controlled by armed groups and authorities with a record of human rights violations. The return of migrants to Syria could expose them to grave human rights abuses, including threats to life, torture, and enforced disappearances. Violation of International Law: According to the principles of the 1951 Geneva Convention and its related refugee protocols, the forced return of individuals to countries where their life or freedom may be at risk due to insecurity is strictly prohibited. The principle of non-refoulement, a fundamental cornerstone of international humanitarian law, states that no person should be returned to a place where they face serious threats to their life or safety. Turkey’s actions in forcibly returning migrants to unsafe countries clearly constitute a violation of these principles. Moreover, the European Union, as a financial partner supporting these migration programmes, may also be considered complicit in breaching international law if it is aware of such forced returns and fails to take appropriate action. Recommendations: Turkey: Must immediately halt all forced returns and align its migration policies with international human rights standards. European Union: As one of Turkey’s main financial supporters in migration management, it must ensure that its funds are not used to violate human rights and establish effective monitoring mechanisms for return procedures. United Nations: Should strengthen its oversight of migrants returned to Afghanistan and Syria and provide greater protection and support to prevent further human rights violations. Human Rights Organisations: Must intensify efforts to document and report these violations while increasing international pressure to end the policy of forced returns. Although the European Union’s financial assistance to Turkey has been provided with the stated aim of managing the migration crisis, if such support results in human rights violations, it not only contravenes the principles of international law but also undermines confidence in humanitarian approaches and the protection of refugee rights.

Image Source: maltepeekspress The situation of Afghan refugees in Turkey, particularly those without residence documents (Kimlik), has been reported as deeply concerning. They face the risk of arrest and deportation while being deprived of basic human rights such as education, healthcare, and shelter. Local sources in several cities, including Istanbul, Van, Kayseri, and Bilecik, say that Afghan children without Kimlik have been unable to enrol in public schools, and their families, lacking medical insurance, face serious health challenges in emergencies. In addition, reports have emerged of the widespread rejection of Afghan asylum applications by Turkey’s Directorate of Migration Management. Experts say these decisions are made without transparency or the right to appeal, leaving thousands of families at risk of deportation and legal uncertainty. One of the major but less-discussed issues is the exploitation of undocumented Afghan labourers. Many of these workers are employed in construction, industrial workshops, and factories, performing hard and hazardous work for very low wages. According to local sources, employers have repeatedly withheld payment, and migrants, lacking Kimlik and fearing arrest, are unable to seek legal recourse. An Afghan worker in Istanbul said: “We work twelve hours a day, but if they refuse to pay, there is nothing we can do. We have no documents, and no one hears our voices.” The rise of anti-immigrant sentiment and discrimination in the housing market has also become a major problem. Many landlords refuse to rent homes to Afghan refugees, and in exceptional cases where they do, rents are unfairly inflated. With the start of the school year, this housing crisis has reached its peak for Afghan families. At the same time, the inspection and control of Kimlik documents in cities and marketplaces have sharply increased, creating fear, anxiety, and severe restrictions on the movement of Afghan migrants. Human rights activists have called on the international community to take action to protect Afghan refugees in Turkey and to urge the Turkish government to uphold its international obligations toward refugees.

Photo: NDS via Human rights watch Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced that security forces have arrested 80 members of the terrorist group ISIS, preventing large-scale attacks in northern provinces, particularly in Kabul and Balkh. According to him, the country’s security and defense forces are on the front lines of the battle against terrorists every day and make sacrifices that must be recognized and appreciated. Earlier, Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, reported on the continued activities of ISIS in Nangarhar and Kunar provinces, saying that despite the weakening of its military capabilities, the group still maintains resistance in these two provinces. Reports estimate the number of ISIS fighters in Afghanistan to be between 1,000 and 2,200. The arrest of this number of ISIS members comes as the Nowruz festival approaches, with the city of Mazar-i-Sharif preparing to hold its annual flag-raising ceremony and the Gul-e-Surkh festival. Opposition to Nowruz is part of the strategy of extremist groups like ISIS, which seek to target Afghanistan’s ancient traditions and cultural values through threats and violence.

Kabul – Community councils and civil society organizations, in a meeting with Dr. Alema, Deputy Minister for Human Rights and Civil Society of the State Ministry for Peace Affairs, expressed their support for the peace negotiations and called for an immediate halt to violence and the establishment of a nationwide ceasefire. This meeting was held with the aim of hearing the views of civil institutions and the public regarding the peace talks with the Taliban in Doha. Participants emphasized that a ceasefire, preservation of the republic system, and respect for civil liberties must be non-negotiable principles in any peace agreement. Dr. Alema stated at the meeting that the people of Afghanistan are seeking a lasting, dignified, and just peace, a peace that does not sacrifice the achievements of recent years. She criticized the ambiguity in the Taliban’s statements and added: “The Taliban talk about an Islamic system, but they do not explain what they mean. Afghanistan is an Islamic country and our constitution is based on Islamic principles. So this claim is nothing but an excuse to bring back the Emirate.” A reporter from Zan TV, asking the question “What guarantee is there that the Taliban will adhere to democratic principles, freedom of speech, and women’s rights after an agreement?” demanded a clear response. In response, Dr. Alema said: “Women must have a strong voice in the peace process. We have emphasized the protection of freedom of expression and the fundamental rights of all citizens, especially women.” Mujtaba Marzban, Head of the Council of Community Councils and Civil Society Organizations, said in his remarks: “We are working to protect the people's values in the peace process. A peace that overlooks the rights of the people will not be sustainable.” Later, Zainuddin Alimyar, referring to Islam’s view on peace and reconciliation, asked the government to intensify its efforts in advancing the peace process and also called on the international community to support this process. He urged the Taliban to end the violence and to declare a nationwide ceasefire to pave the way for genuine peace. Dr. Yaqubullah, also supporting the government’s stance, emphasized that the Taliban must stop the violence to make peace possible. In the question-and-answer portion of the meeting, several journalists and civil activists demanded transparency in the peace negotiations and emphasized the necessity of women’s presence in the structure of the talks. Leila Jafari, Head of Political Organizations and Civil Society Institutions at the State Ministry for Peace Affairs, emphasized the role of the people and said: “It is the people who can work to protect their rights during the negotiations.”