Zan News: The Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has announced that it will build 10 health centers in underserved areas of Afghanistan to provide services to mothers and children. Qatar Red Crescent to Establish 10 Health Centers for Women and Children in Afghanistan May 27, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has announced that it will build 10 health centers in underserved areas of Afghanistan to provide services to mothers and children. The organization said in a statement that the goal of the project is to provide primary health care and improve health services for mothers and children in Afghanistan. Mohammed Salah Ibrahim, head of international aid and development at QRCS, said the centers will provide health services to 250,000 mothers and children annually. He did not provide further details on the cost of the project. Mr. Ibrahim also said that during his visit to Afghanistan, he extended QRCS's cooperation with the "CHC" institution in the provision of medicines, medical and non-medical supplies and equipment, and the training of health workers until 2027. In addition, QRCS, with financial support from the Qatar Development Fund (QFFD), has signed an agreement with the Afghan Red Crescent Society (run by the Taliban) to provide food assistance to families vulnerable to natural disasters in the country. The project will benefit 800 families in Farah, Faryab and Helmand provinces. These actions come as the health sector in Afghanistan has been severely affected since the Taliban took over the country. The Taliban has repeatedly called on other countries for cooperation in this area.

Zan News: Save the Children states that annually, 4.9 million children worldwide die from preventable diseases. The organization has urged countries to take action to improve the situation of children. Photo: savethechildren Save the Children Organization: 4.9 Million Children Die Annually from Preventable Diseases November 16, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Save the Children states that annually, 4.9 million children worldwide die from preventable diseases. The organization has urged countries to take action to improve the situation of children. In a message published by the organization on the social media platform X on Friday (15 November), climate change, wars, and global health crises were highlighted as serious threats to children worldwide. Emphasizing the need for urgent action, the organization noted, "Now is the time to act, not speak. Every child deserves to live and grow beyond the age of five." This concern arises as millions of children in war-torn and crisis-stricken areas face severe threats such as violence, malnutrition, and lack of access to healthcare and education. Child mortality rates, especially in conflict zones like Gaza, Syria, Yemen, Ukraine, and Afghanistan, are higher. In these areas, children have less access to healthcare services due to crises and conflicts, placing them at serious risk. According to a report by the United Nations Human Rights Office, around 70% of the confirmed victims during a six-month period in the Gaza war were women and children. In Afghanistan, economic crises and widespread poverty have left millions of children deprived of food, education, and other essential services.

Zan News - Herat: Fatemeh Mehmandust, a woman in Herat, has organized a special book exhibition for women in the province to celebrate Mother's Day and promote a culture of reading among women. A Special Book Exhibition for Women was Held in Herat June 13, 2024 Zan News Zan News - Herat: Fatemeh Mehmandust, a woman in Herat, has organized a special book exhibition for women in the province to celebrate Mother's Day and promote a culture of reading among women. This exhibition, which began on Wednesday (June 12), will continue today. Ms. Mehmandust stated that 400 books covering various topics and fields are on display for women at this exhibition. She added that she purchased these books at her own expense from Iran and brought them to Herat. The exhibition has been well-received by visitors. Yagana Yekta, one of the visitors, said, "This exhibition helps promote a reading culture among girls. In a situation where schools and universities are closed to girls and they are confined to their homes, reading books can bring a change to their lives." This comes at a time when the Taliban, after returning to power in Afghanistan, have imposed extensive restrictions on women's participation in society. Among other things, the group has prevented women from attending certain book exhibitions in various provinces of the country.

Zan News: On the occasion of March 8, International Women’s Day, the "Women Towards Freedom" movement issued a resolution condemning the Taliban’s misogynistic policies and called on the international community to take immediate and practical action in support of Afghan women. Sent to Zan TV Women Towards Freedom Movement: The Taliban’s Gender Apartheid Must Be Recognized March 6, 2025 Zan News Zan News: On the occasion of March 8, International Women’s Day, the "Women Towards Freedom" movement issued a resolution condemning the Taliban’s misogynistic policies and called on the international community to take immediate and practical action in support of Afghan women. The resolution, released on Thursday, March 6, emphasizes that March 8 is not only an opportunity to celebrate women’s achievements but also a reminder of ongoing struggles. The movement stated: “While women in many parts of the world fight for equality, Afghan women are facing the most severe forms of discrimination, repression, and the stripping of human rights.” The "Women Towards Freedom" movement, highlighting the repressive policies of the Taliban, stated that since the group’s takeover of Afghanistan, women have been systematically deprived of even their most basic rights. The resolution reads: “The Taliban, through banning education and employment for women, imposing severe restrictions on individual and social freedoms, and ruthlessly suppressing any form of protest, have imposed a gender apartheid system on Afghan society. These policies not only constitute a blatant violation of human rights but are also an organized crime against Afghan women.” The movement has urged international organizations, governments, the United Nations, and human rights groups to break their silence in the face of this “blatant injustice” and to take practical measures to support Afghan women. In the resolution, the "Women Towards Freedom" movement calls for the recognition of gender apartheid in Afghanistan and demands strong action against the Taliban as a “repressive regime.” The movement stresses the need for legal and political pressure on the Taliban to immediately lift the educational, employment, and social restrictions on women, and calls for the creation of educational, work, and asylum opportunities for Afghan women and girls who suffer from repression and discrimination. It also demands the protection of women activists and human rights defenders, both inside Afghanistan and abroad, who are under threat from the Taliban. The resolution further clarifies that any international engagement with the Taliban must be conditional on the guarantee of equal rights for women and an end to their repressive policies. In conclusion, the "Women Towards Freedom" movement emphasized that the struggle for women’s rights is part of the global fight for human dignity, justice, and progress. The movement stated: “We, the women of Afghanistan, will never submit to tyranny. A day will come when the women of this land, like other women in the world, will live, study, and work in the shadow of freedom and equality.”

Zan News: Nasir Ahmad Faiq, the acting Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations, has stated that the Taliban's policies have caused an entire generation of Afghan youth to face an uncertain and bleak future. Photo: faiq_naseer/X Nasir Ahmad Faiq: Taliban Policies Have Left Afghanistan's Youth Facing a Dark Future February 13, 2025 Zan News Zan News: Nasir Ahmad Faiq, the acting Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations, has stated that the Taliban's policies have caused an entire generation of Afghan youth to face an uncertain and bleak future. He made these remarks during the 63rd session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development, held in New York. Faiq emphasized that Afghanistan, 30 years after the Copenhagen Declaration, is experiencing one of the most severe social and economic crises in its history—a crisis that has plunged millions into poverty and excluded women and girls from public life. Highlighting the importance of education as the foundation of social and economic progress, Faiq said that this infrastructure is being systematically destroyed in Afghanistan. He described the deprivation of Afghan girls and women from education and work as "gender apartheid," adding that this is not only a human rights catastrophe but also an economic crisis. He stressed, "No country can develop when half of its population is sidelined." Faiq also pointed to the ban on girls' education in medical institutes, warning that this new restriction will endanger countless lives and increase maternal mortality rates. Criticizing the Taliban's policies, Faiq said that instead of investing in science, technology, technical skills, and innovation, the group is expanding religious schools that foster isolation and extremism. He added, "If we do not act, the next generation of Afghanistan will be one without critical thinking, without opportunities, and without hope. We must provide access to quality education, modern skills, and economic opportunities to secure Afghanistan's future." The acting representative of Afghanistan at the United Nations called on the international community not to remain indifferent to the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan. He emphasized that the people of Afghanistan, especially women, girls, and youth, must not be forgotten.

Zan News: The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), in a statement posted on its account on the social media platform X, has called for the reopening of Radio Begum’s office and the release of the detained staff of this media outlet. Google Image UNAMA Calls for the Reopening of Radio Begum and the Release of Detained Staff February 8, 2025 Zan News Zan News: The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), in a statement posted on its account on the social media platform X, has called for the reopening of Radio Begum’s office and the release of the detained staff of this media outlet. UNAMA expressed concern in the statement and emphasized that freedom of expression and the operation of independent media are essential for the progress of society. UNAMA stated that it demands the release of individuals detained for "exercising their right to freedom of expression." This comes as Taliban intelligence forces, in collaboration with employees of the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture, shut down the offices of Radio Begum and Radio Jawanan in Kabul and detained two staff members of these media outlets. The Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture, without mentioning the closure of Radio Jawanan’s office, claimed in a statement that Radio Begum’s activities were suspended due to "multiple media violations" and producing content for a foreign media outlet. The Afghanistan Journalists Center, in response to the Taliban’s actions, has also called for the reopening of the offices of Radio Begum and Radio Jawanan and the release of the two detained staff members of these media outlets. The center has urged the Taliban to act in accordance with the country’s public media law and to refrain from suppressing independent media. It is worth noting that these actions by the Taliban come at a time when freedom of expression and the operation of independent media in Afghanistan have been severely restricted. Since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, dozens of media outlets have been shut down, and a large number of journalists and media workers have been detained, threatened, or forced to leave their jobs.

Zan News - Faryab: A man has killed his 19-year-old daughter in the Khaybar district of Faryab province. Photo: Etilaat Roz Newspaper A Young Girl Killed by Her Father in Faryab August 22, 2024 Zan News Zan News - Faryab: A man has killed his 19-year-old daughter in the Khaybar district of Faryab province. Local sources in Faryab province report that the man, named Najib, is a resident of the "Ziyaratgah" village in the newly established Khaybar district. According to these sources, Najib severely beat and then strangled his daughter, Kamela, to death on Wednesday night (August 21). The motive for this murder is still unclear, and it is reported that Najib fled after committing the crime. So far, Taliban officials in Faryab have not commented on the incident. It is worth noting that domestic violence continues to be one of the main causes of the murder and suicide of women and girls in Afghanistan.

Zan News: The Afghanistan Women’s History Transformation Movement, in a statement regarding the "genocide of Shia and Hazara people" in Afghanistan, called for an end to the global community's silence on the genocide of these minorities. Protesting Women Urge Global Community Not to Remain Silent on the Killing of Shias in Afghanistan September 21, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The Afghanistan Women’s History Transformation Movement, in a statement regarding the "genocide of Shia and Hazara people" in Afghanistan, called for an end to the global community's silence on the genocide of these minorities. The movement's statement highlights that Afghanistan's history is filled with "bloody events and the systematic elimination" of the Shia community, and since the Taliban's return to power in August 2021, these actions have intensified. The movement stated, "The Shias of Afghanistan have faced massacres, forced displacements, and imprisonment during various periods of history, particularly during the five-year Taliban rule in the 1990s. Over the past three years, suicide attacks, bombings, and suspicious assassinations in Shia-majority areas have continued, and the recent tragic event in Daikundi province once again revealed the true face of the Taliban to the Afghan people." The statement added, "Although the Taliban use fabricated and imaginary names to cover up these crimes, it is as clear as day that the hands behind these horrific killings and massacres belong to the Taliban regime." The Afghanistan Women’s History Transformation Movement emphasized that the Taliban have repeatedly spoken about the civil rights of Afghan Shias through "deceptive media tactics and propaganda," but the reality on the ground proves otherwise. The movement called on the global community not to remain silent in the face of the "brutal killings" of Shias and other ethnic and religious minorities in Afghanistan and urged them to pressure the Taliban to protect the lives and property of these communities, who have long been subject to massacre and oppression.

Zan News: The "Women Towards Freedom" movement, on the occasion of International Education Day, issued a statement emphasizing the need to reopen schools and universities to girls and women in Afghanistan. Social Media Protesting Women: Denying Girls Education is Denying the Identity, Ability, and Future of Half of Afghanistan's Society January 25, 2025 Zan News Zan News: The "Women Towards Freedom" movement, on the occasion of International Education Day, issued a statement emphasizing the need to reopen schools and universities to girls and women in Afghanistan. The statement, published on Friday (January 24), mentions that International Education Day is a symbol of celebrating the fundamental right to learn and gain knowledge for all humans. However, in Afghanistan, the doors of schools and universities are closed to girls and women. "This act is not only the deprivation of the right to education but also the denial of the identity, ability, and future of half of society." The "Women Towards Freedom" movement strongly criticized the Taliban's misogynistic policies that have deprived women of education, stating that these actions are not just a personal tragedy for the girls who dream of learning, but a deep wound on the body of society, with effects that will last for generations. In their statement, the movement called on the international community and international organizations to apply political and economic pressure on the Taliban for the immediate reopening of schools and universities to girls and women in Afghanistan, and to condemn the Taliban's educational restrictions as a violation of human rights. The movement also urged the global community to create international solidarity to defend the right to education for Afghan women and girls and ensure access to education as an inalienable human right. In conclusion, the "Women Towards Freedom" movement stated that the world cannot remain silent in the face of this injustice and that it is the historical responsibility of the international community to protect the future generations of Afghanistan from this systematic discrimination.

Zan News: The Diplomat magazine, in a report, criticized the exclusion of Afghan women's representatives from the third Doha meeting, stating that by inviting the Taliban to the meeting, the UN has lost its respect and credibility among the Afghan people, especially women and girls. The Diplomat Magazine: The UN Lost Respect Among the People of Afghanistan by Excluding Women from the Doha Meeting July 8, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The Diplomat magazine, in a report, criticized the exclusion of Afghan women's representatives from the third Doha meeting, stating that by inviting the Taliban to the meeting, the UN has lost its respect and credibility among the Afghan people, especially women and girls. The magazine wrote on its news website that by excluding women from this meeting, the United Nations has become complicit with the Taliban in suppressing women, secrecy, and corruption. The report further stated that the United Nations has failed in Afghanistan and has not been able to make the right decisions for the future of the people of this country. The Diplomat, in part of its report, wrote: "The United Nations, throughout various stages of the conflict in Afghanistan, not only failed to prevent these conflicts but also exacerbated the existing disputes with its role in conflict resolution and mediation efforts." This comes as the third Doha meeting on the situation in Afghanistan, with the participation of country representatives and the presence of the Taliban, was held for two days at the end of June and the beginning of July in Doha, Qatar. The Taliban conditioned their participation in the third Doha meeting on the exclusion of women and civil society from the meeting and the removal of human rights issues, especially women's rights, from the agenda. The meeting faced strong criticism from human rights organizations, protesting women, and human rights activists. Some women's protest movements sanctioned the meeting.