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Zan News: The UN Women, in a report, has expressed concern over the catastrophic consequences of depriving Afghan women and girls of their rights and has called for global action on this issue. UN Women: The Deprivation of Women and Girls in Afghanistan is Catastrophic; Global Action is Needed July 2, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The UN Women, in a report, has expressed concern over the catastrophic consequences of depriving Afghan women and girls of their rights and has called for global action on this issue. The report states that with the Taliban's restrictions on girls' education beyond the sixth grade, about 1.1 million girls have been deprived of education. The UN Women describes the current situation in Afghanistan as an unprecedented international challenge for targeted interventions on gender equality. It should be mentioned that since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, they have stripped women and girls of their basic rights. Through various decrees, the group has targeted the country's gender equality infrastructure and suspended the activities of related organizations. The Taliban abolished the Ministry of Women's Affairs, which had been actively promoting women's rights during the two decades of the republic's governance. The Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice now operates in its building. The Human Rights Commission's activities have also been suspended, and women have been banned from working in judicial and legal institutions. The UN Women report states that the Taliban have systematically dismantled all institutions and infrastructure that worked towards women's empowerment and gender equality between 2001 and 2021. The report adds that with the prohibition of these organizations' activities, collecting data on gender equality issues in Afghanistan has become difficult. Additionally, the report mentions that it has been over a thousand days since the ban on girls' education in Afghanistan was imposed, and women and girls are deprived of the most basic and fundamental rights besides education. The release of this report by the UN Women comes as the United Nations hosts an international meeting on Afghanistan in Doha without the presence of women.

Zan News: Local sources in Takhar province report that a Taliban member has arbitrarily closed two health centers in the maternal health sector in the Dashti Qala district of this province and has expelled the female staff from these centers. Social Media A Taliban Member Closed Two Maternal Health Centers in Takhar October 14, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Local sources in Takhar province report that a Taliban member has arbitrarily closed two health centers in the maternal health sector in the Dashti Qala district of this province and has expelled the female staff from these centers. According to sources, Mawlawi Zainuddin, the head of the Taliban's orders and decrees in Dashti Qala district, closed these two maternal health centers, which were managed by women. This Taliban member has warned women to avoid being present in these centers at night and declared that women's work outside the home is against the orders of the group's leader. Mawlawi Zainuddin has also warned the officials of these health centers that if they disobey his orders, they will be imprisoned. The Taliban's health department officials in Takhar have not yet commented on this action. It's worth noting that previously, the Taliban had taken steps to segregate the working sections for women and men in hospitals within this province.

Learn more about Hamid Samar, founder of Zan TV, the first women-led media outlet in Afghanistan, dedicated to empowering Afghan women. Founder & CEO Hamid Samar Email: hamid@zantvnetwork.com Contact : My Story Hamid Samar is an Afghan media entrepreneur and the founder of Zan TV, the first television channel in Afghanistan created to amplify women’s voices and stories. He has launched several media initiatives that created job opportunities for Afghans both inside and outside the country. In 2016, he founded RASA TV in Nangarhar province to expand access to local media. A year later, he launched Zan TV, a unique platform that gave Afghan women a space to speak, report, and participate in journalism. To help more women enter the field, Samar also established the Zan Media Academy, a practical training center for aspiring women journalists. Since the political changes in 2021, Samar has continued his work under difficult conditions. With a team, he has kept Zan TV active on digital platforms, staying committed to the channel’s original goal of supporting Afghan women through media and storytelling.

Zan News - Ghor: Residents of Ghor province, who lost their homes and livelihoods due to heavy rainfall and flooding in the first months of the current solar year, are on one hand concerned about the lack of shelter and heating facilities for the winter season, and on the other hand, they complain about the unfair distribution of humanitarian aid under the Taliban's supervision. Photo: EU/ECHO Pierre Prakash via Flickr Flood Victims in Ghor Complain About Unfair Distribution of Humanitarian Aid Under the Taliban February 23, 2025 Ariahn Raya Zan News - Ghor: Residents of Ghor province, who lost their homes and livelihoods due to heavy rainfall and flooding in the first months of the current solar year, are on one hand concerned about the lack of shelter and heating facilities for the winter season, and on the other hand, they complain about the unfair distribution of humanitarian aid under the Taliban's supervision. Fariba, a 43-year-old mother of eight, spends the cold winter nights—when the temperature in this province occasionally drops to minus twenty degrees Celsius—in an old tent without any heating facilities. In an interview with Zan News, she says: "Look at what kind of life we are living, full of misery and hardship. Rain and snow pour through the top of the tent, and the bottom is damp and muddy. We live in these conditions, yet when aid arrives, it doesn’t reach the poor and strangers. The Mullahs [Taliban] give it to their relatives and friends. May God provide for us." Gul Bibi, another flood victim from the Balamarghab district of this province, who is responsible for five children, complains about the unfair distribution of humanitarian aid under the Taliban's supervision. She says that despite being deprived of her rights by the Taliban, she cannot raise her voice to complain because she is a woman. "Because I am a woman, and a widow at that, they take away my rights. A while ago, the Taliban came and inspected everyone's houses. They gave houses to some people they knew, but we are still left out in the cold. I can't even complain because I am a widow woman." On the other hand, a number of women's rights activists in Afghanistan have expressed concern over the cold winter weather and the lack of access to humanitarian aid for flood victims, especially women. Sohaila Mobasher, a women's rights activist, says: "It is true that flood victims are facing a shortage of resources, but women who are the breadwinners of their families must be prioritized because the cold weather and lack of food have put this group at risk of death." This comes as some aid organizations have halted their operations in Afghanistan due to the Taliban's interference in their work and the distribution of humanitarian aid. It is worth noting that the Norwegian Refugee Council recently announced the suspension of its humanitarian activities in 20 countries, including Afghanistan.

Zan News: The Purple Saturdays Movement, in a statement, strongly condemned the systematic violation of human rights by the Taliban and the inaction of the international community, calling for immediate international action. Simultaneously with the release of the statement, members of the movement set fire to images of Taliban leaders and called on the people of Afghanistan to rise up against the "illegitimate and misogynistic" Taliban regime. Sent to Zan TV Purple Saturdays Movement Calls for Uprising by Burning Images of Taliban Leaders February 1, 2025 Zan News Zan News: The Purple Saturdays Movement, in a statement, strongly condemned the systematic violation of human rights by the Taliban and the inaction of the international community, calling for immediate international action. Simultaneously with the release of the statement, members of the movement set fire to images of Taliban leaders and called on the people of Afghanistan to rise up against the "illegitimate and misogynistic" Taliban regime. In the statement, published on Friday (31 January), the Purple Saturdays Movement emphasized that "over the past three years, the Taliban have continued to commit organized crimes against humanity by establishing a system of structural discrimination against women, conducting hundreds of desert courts involving women and children under 18, carrying out inhumane torture, forced displacement, and targeted killings of civilians in provinces such as Parwan, Kapisa, and Panjshir." The movement described these actions as part of the Taliban's repressive, vengeful, and "ethnic cleansing" policies, which, they said, have largely gone unreported by the media. The statement criticized the "disastrous delay and blatant avoidance of responsibility" by the international community and the United Nations, warning that this silence has allowed the Taliban to expand their crimes without accountability. The movement called on the United Nations, Amnesty International, the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the international community to promptly initiate impartial and transparent investigations into the Taliban's war crimes, civilian killings, and systematic torture. Simultaneously with the release of the statement, members of the Purple Saturdays Movement set fire to images of Taliban leaders, including Hibatullah Akhundzada. A member of the movement, referring to the deprivation of women from "all human and Islamic rights," addressed the people of Afghanistan, saying: "We declare our anger and hatred towards the terrorist group Taliban with cries for justice, fairness, and freedom. We urge you not to fear the Taliban and to rise up against the illegitimate, mono-ethnic, mono-gender, and misogynistic regime that has turned Islam and Sharia into tools of oppression." The movement, highlighting the "deplorable" conditions in the Taliban's intelligence agency prisons, where thousands are reportedly tortured due to their ethnicity or language, called for immediate international oversight of these facilities.

Zan News: The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) reports that in September of this year, it supported 2,400 health centers in various regions of Afghanistan under Taliban control. Photo: UNICEF UNICEF Supports 2,400 Health Centers in Afghanistan in September November 3, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) reports that in September of this year, it supported 2,400 health centers in various regions of Afghanistan under Taliban control. The organization announced this on Sunday (November 3) via a statement on social media platform X. According to the statement, health services through these centers have been provided to 6.1 million Afghans. UNICEF also emphasized that "in the clinics supported by this organization, families can receive necessary medications and access trained health care personnel." The organization had also announced a few days ago that it has provided health assistance to over six million Afghans this year, half of whom are children under the age of five.

Zan News - Kabul: The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has announced that it has provided psychological and social services to over 2,000 girls and boys in flood-affected areas of Afghanistan. UNICEF Provides Psychological and Social Support to Over 2,000 Flood-Affected Children in Afghanistan June 2, 2024 Zan News Zan News - Kabul: The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has announced that it has provided psychological and social services to over 2,000 girls and boys in flood-affected areas of Afghanistan. In a message on its X social media page, the organization emphasized the importance of creating suitable places for children. UNICEF said that these places play a key role in providing psychological and social support to children. According to the message, UNICEF has provided services to girls and boys in flood-affected areas through recreational activities and counseling services. So far, the organization has provided psychological and social support to 2,100 people, including girls and boys, in flood-affected communities in Afghanistan. This comes as recent floods in Afghanistan have caused extensive damage and claimed the lives of over 500 people. According to the United Nations Women, women and children have been among the worst victims of these floods. The floods have also extensively destroyed villages and damaged social infrastructure such as schools and health centers. UN offices are currently working to provide basic services to those affected in flood-affected areas. However, the shortage of female staff to provide essential services, especially to women and children, remains a major challenge.

Zan News: A man in Kenya has confessed to killing 42 women over the past two years, including his wife. Kenyan Man Confesses to Killing 42 Women Over the Past Two Years July 16, 2024 Zan News Zan News: A man in Kenya has confessed to killing 42 women over the past two years, including his wife. According to CNN on Monday (July 15), citing Kenyan police, the man was arrested after several bodies were discovered in a quarry in Nairobi, the capital of the country. The man's name is Collins Jumaisi, and he is 33 years old. In his initial statements, he admitted to his crime. Mohamed Amin, Kenya's Director of Criminal Investigations, told reporters that Jumaisi was arrested outside a club where he had gone to watch the Euro 2024 final match. He added, "The suspect confessed during interrogation to luring, killing, and disposing of 42 women's bodies at a dumping site. These murders occurred between 2022 and July 11, 2024." Amin stated that according to Jumaisi's confessions, his first victim was his wife, whom he strangled and killed before dismembering her body and dumping it at the site. Kenyan authorities say that several mobile phones, identification cards, sharp objects, plastic gloves, and dozens of bags were found at his house. This comes after mass graves were discovered in a forest in the Kilifi region of Kenya last year.

Zan News: A traffic accident in the Shebar district of Bamyan province has resulted in the deaths of three men and two women, with two others injured. Social Media Five, Including Two Women, Killed in Bamyan Traffic Accident August 3, 2024 Zan News Zan News: A traffic accident in the Shebar district of Bamyan province has resulted in the deaths of three men and two women, with two others injured. According to a statement from the Taliban governor's office in Bamyan, the accident occurred around 10:30 AM on Friday (August 2) in the "Paymuri" area of Shebar district. The statement reported that a "Corolla" car traveling from Kabul to Punjab district in Bamyan collided with a cargo truck. As a result, five passengers were killed, and a teenager and a child were injured. The injured teenager is reported to be in critical condition. It is noteworthy that traffic accidents have been on the rise in various parts of the country recently. Two days ago, a traffic accident in Kapisa province resulted in the deaths of three women and two men, with three others injured. Poor road conditions, driver carelessness, and lack of traffic signs are among the main causes of traffic accidents in the country.

Zan News: The Women’s Movement "Window of Hope" has called on the people of Afghanistan, the world free population, feminist movements, human rights organizations, and advocates of human rights to rise up and fight against global terrorism on August 15. Women’s Movement "Window of Hope": Uprising and Struggle Against Global Terrorism on August 15 July 22, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The Women’s Movement "Window of Hope" has called on the people of Afghanistan, the world free population, feminist movements, human rights organizations, and advocates of human rights to rise up and fight against global terrorism on August 15. In this call to action, published on Monday (July 22), it states: "We, the members of the Women’s Movement 'Window of Hope,' cry out from the depths of the human rights crisis and raise our voices: Stand with the women of Afghanistan with all your might!" The call continues: "Our audience includes the people of Afghanistan, the world free population, feminist movements, human rights organizations, and advocates of human rights. Let us once again honor the status of humanity and human rights values by standing firm and fighting against the systematic violation of women’s human rights, thereby reviving human rights values in Afghanistan." Further, the call to action states: "We are approaching the third anniversary of the country’s surrender to terrorists. Over the past three years, Afghanistan has become a complete hell for the people, especially women and ethnic and religious minorities. Ninety percent of the population struggles with severe poverty." The call by the Women’s Movement "Window of Hope" highlights: "Terrorist groups have expanded their activities under the shadow of the illegitimate Taliban government, and there is no guarantee for regional and global security." The call concludes: "Renewing our strength to fight, uniting against Taliban oppression, and committing to saving the people is our key to success. Let us all stand together against the terrorist monster, shout for freedom from Taliban captivity, and prevent the gender apartheid from burying Afghan women alive." This call comes amid the deteriorating human rights situation in Afghanistan, especially for women, since the Taliban's return to power on August 15, 2021. Since coming to power, the Taliban have stripped many rights and freedoms from women. Afghan women are currently deprived of their rights to education, work, travel, and participation in political and social life. There are also numerous reports of violence against women, including murder, rape, and forced marriage, in Afghanistan. The international community has repeatedly criticized the Taliban for human rights violations in Afghanistan. However, the Taliban have so far ignored these criticisms.