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image: ACNUR Portraying the suffering and resistance of Khadija Amin, screened at the European Film Festival in Spain The documentary “Where Are My Children?”, which tells the story of the life of Khadija Amin, an Afghan journalist residing in Spain, was screened at the twenty-second edition of the Seville European Film Festival in Spain. This two-part documentary, directed by Vanessa Hernández Bourke and Pablo Deus Bouzón, depicts one of the most painful narratives of a mother separated from her children following the fall of Afghanistan. Khadija Amin, a member of the board of Reporters Without Borders in Spain, is the central figure and narrator of the film. Source: Festival de Sevilla According to the production team, the documentary is the result of three years of research and filming, following Khadija’s difficult journey of struggle. After the fall of Kabul in 2021, she sought asylum in Spain, yet in Afghanistan’s official records she is registered as “deceased”. During this period, her husband took their three children back to Afghanistan and prevented any contact between them for months. The documentary recounts that the absence of official documents and complex legal procedures have prevented Khadija from proving that she is the children’s legal mother, a situation she describes as “the most painful experience of her life”. Festival organisers described the screening of the documentary in Seville as “an important step in amplifying the voices of Afghan women”. Beyond the personal account of an Afghan mother, the documentary also provides international audiences with a clear depiction of the suffering, resilience and insecurity faced by women in Afghanistan.

Image: unicef The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that Afghanistan, despite contributing very little to global climate change, is now facing one of the world’s worst water and climate crises; a disaster threatening the lives of millions of children. Tajuddin Oyewale, UNICEF’s representative in Afghanistan, said on the occasion of the opening of the global climate summit (COP30): “There is no representative from Afghanistan at this summit, even though the country’s children are among those most affected by the impacts of climate change.” He added that drought, earthquakes, and recurrent floods are devastating the health, nutrition, and future of Afghan children, while the country faces a severe drinking water crisis. According to him, more than half of Afghanistan’s water sources have dried up, and eight out of ten people are drinking contaminated water. Oyewale said that urban water supply and sanitation systems are collapsing under the pressure of natural disasters and environmental degradation, while waterborne diseases are on the rise. UNICEF’s report stressed that Afghanistan remains one of the world’s most underfunded humanitarian crises, with only 5 percent of the required funding secured to provide access to safe water and climate-resilient services. The organisation stated that UNICEF and its partners continue to assist affected families and children by installing solar-powered pumps, creating rainwater storage networks, and providing emergency health services to maintain access to clean water and essential support. Oyewale emphasised: “The children of Afghanistan did not create the climate crisis, but they are paying the highest price for it.” This warning comes after several international organisations, including the World Food Programme (WFP), reported a sharp rise in poverty, malnutrition, and humanitarian suffering in Afghanistan, particularly among women and children. Experts warn that with ongoing drought, forced repatriations, and dwindling global aid, the country is on the brink of another humanitarian catastrophe.

social media The Taliban have publicly flogged 15 people, including a woman, in the provinces of Nangarhar and Ghor. According to a statement released on Wednesday (November 11) by the Taliban’s Supreme Court, 14 individuals, including one woman, were punished yesterday and today in Lalpur district of Nangarhar province following rulings by the group’s city and primary courts. The court stated that these individuals were accused of “running away from home, buying and selling alcohol, sodomy, and theft” and each received between 30 and 39 lashes. In a separate statement, the Taliban court said that a man in Saghar district of Ghor province was also publicly flogged 39 times on charges of “moral corruption.” These punishments come as the Taliban have repeatedly carried out public floggings since their return to power, and to date have executed at least 11 people in front of hundreds of spectators. International human rights organisations have repeatedly condemned these acts as a “clear violation of human rights,” stating that public executions and corporal punishment are contrary to international law and human dignity.

Image credit: The Afghan Times “The Taliban have divided the aid among their own people; nothing is left for us.” Despite the Taliban’s repeated claims of supporting Afghan returnees, harrowing scenes on the streets of Afghanistan tell a different story. Women, children, and even men expelled from Iran and Pakistan can be seen in cities across the country, extending their hands in despair to passersby; a painful reflection of poverty, abandonment, and unfulfilled promises. The Taliban claim to have provided humanitarian aid for returnees across various sectors, but Zan News field reports indicate that much of this assistance has never reached those in real need. Several returnees told Zan News that the Taliban have distributed international aid among their own affiliates, leaving nothing for the poor. Khojasta, a mother of two young children in Farah, now sits by the roadside and begs for help from passersby. She told Zan News: “May God not bless those who ruined our lives. Look, it’s midnight, the air is cold and dusty, and I’m wandering with my sick children. We were deported from Tehran. Apart from the 5,000 Afghanis they gave us at the Nimroz border, we received no help. I am homeless and beg because of poverty.” In Nimroz province, Khaleda, another returnee woman, begs on the streets with her family. “This man is my husband, there is no work for him,” she said. “Now we beg together. Many nights we have no bread and return empty-handed to our empty tent.” In Herat, Nazanin, a woman with two daughters and a young son, has been living in Taraqqi Park for four months, stretching out her hand to passersby in search of help. She is originally from Khost province but says she cannot afford the fare to return home. “I am from Khost, but I don’t have money to go back,” she told Zan News. “I’ve been here for four months. During the day, I beg so my children won’t go hungry; at night, we sleep in corners of parks and on the streets. No one comes to us.” The sharp rise in begging across Afghan cities, particularly after the forced deportation of migrants from Iran and Pakistan, has become one of the country’s gravest humanitarian crises. While millions of dollars in international aid are flowing into Afghanistan under the banner of “support for returnees,” homeless women and children still sit on the streets, waiting for a small act of mercy and compassion.

Sent to Zan TV Members of the Lantern of Freedom of Afghanistan Women Movement held a protest on Tuesday (11 November) against the Taliban’s recent order making the wearing of the burqa mandatory for women in Herat province. In a statement issued by the movement, it said: “The imposition of compulsory dress violates women’s human dignity and individual freedom. Islam is a faith of awareness and choice, not coercion and fear. Clothing has value only when it comes from inner faith and conviction, not from orders and threats.” The Lantern of Freedom Movement stressed that no regime has the right to use women’s bodies and clothing as a tool to project political or religious power. The statement added: “Women’s freedom is an inseparable part of a society’s freedom; a society that imprisons its women condemns itself to the darkness of ignorance.” Referring to Afghan women’s resilience, the movement wrote: “Women have kept the light of awareness burning even in the darkest years, and the Taliban, through forced veiling, are trying to extinguish that light.” The protest took place amid the Taliban’s recent enforcement of compulsory burqa use in Herat province. Women without a burqa are reportedly barred from entering hospitals, schools, and public transport; a move women’s rights activists describe as “part of the Taliban’s systematic policy to erase women entirely from public life.”

Image: WFP_Afghanistan/X The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that millions of women in Afghanistan are witnessing their children suffer from malnutrition, as international aid declines and winter approaches. John Aylieff, WFP Country Director in Afghanistan, said on Tuesday (11 November): “Afghan women are watching their children succumb to malnutrition while being cut off from aid and left to face an unimaginable situation. Now is not the time to cut assistance. Winter is coming, we must scale up our support and deliver on the solidarity we promised.” The warning follows the WFP’s earlier statement that the nutrition crisis in Afghanistan is worsening, particularly among women and children, and that for the first time in decades, a full-scale winter relief operation may not be possible, a crisis the agency described as “entirely preventable.” Previously, World Vision International had also reported that Afghanistan is facing one of the worst nutrition crises in the world. According to its data, 3.7 million Afghan children suffer from acute malnutrition, with more than one million at immediate risk of death. Experts say the reduction in international aid, combined with the forced return of Afghan refugees from Pakistan and Iran, has further deepened the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Women and children remain the most vulnerable; a crisis that, with the onset of winter, risks turning into a silent catastrophe.

Image: Javed Tanveer/AFP Following the Taliban’s decision to make the wearing of the burqa mandatory for women in Herat province, the Republican Women’s Network of Afghanistan issued a statement condemning the order as “a blatant violation of human dignity and the fundamental rights of women.” The statement says that the Taliban’s policies, including the imposition of compulsory dress codes, the deprivation of education and work, and the restriction of women’s presence in public spaces, are “in contradiction with Islamic, human, and universal rights values.” The Republican Women’s Network stressed that men and women, as human beings, possess equal and inalienable rights, and that no group has the authority to restrict women’s freedom and right to choose in the name of religion or hijab. The statement reads: “The growing restrictions against women reflect the Taliban’s fear of women’s awareness and active participation in society. The Taliban seek to imprison women at home and base their power on ignorance and tyranny.” The network urged women in Herat to break their silence and protest peacefully and civilly against these oppressive policies. It also called on international organisations, media outlets, and human rights defenders to document the Taliban’s actions and apply political and legal pressure to stop these restrictions. This statement comes as the Taliban have made the burqa mandatory for women in Herat province. According to reports, women without a burqa are denied entry to hospitals, government offices, and public transport. In recent days, a number of women in Kabul and Herat have staged symbolic protests, setting burqas on fire and calling it “a tool of oppression and the erasure of women from society.”

Sent to Zan TV The Berlin Freedom Conference, aimed at promoting the values of freedom, democracy, and human rights, was held in the German capital. The event, held on Monday (10 November), brought together politicians, civil society activists, and human rights defenders from across the world. During the conference, Shukria Barakzai, former member of the Afghan parliament and Vice President of the World Liberty Congress, expressed deep concern over the continuation of “gender apartheid” and the widespread violations of human rights in Afghanistan. She urged the international community to take practical and effective measures in support of Afghan women and girls. Niloofar Ayubi, human rights activist and member of the MENA Council of the Congress, and Roya Mahboob, entrepreneur and women’s rights advocate, also spoke about the devastating impact of Taliban policies on the social, educational, and professional lives of Afghan women. The Berlin Freedom Conference, part of Berlin Freedom Week, was attended by several prominent figures, including Masih Alinejad, Iranian women’s rights activist. The conference comes at a time when women in Afghanistan live under one of the most repressive regimes in the world. They are barred from education, work, travel, and participation in public life, and face policies designed to erase them entirely from society. Women’s rights activists say that such international gatherings are crucial for amplifying the silenced voices of Afghan women to the world.

Image: UNICEF The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says that in 2025, in cooperation with the World Bank, 70 Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres have been established across Afghanistan, benefiting more than 20,000 children so far. UNICEF stated that the aim of the programme is to support children’s mental and emotional development and to strengthen positive relationships between mothers and their children. Azita Siddiqi, a senior trainer of the programme in Herat, said: “In the early development centres, learning takes place through play, conversation, and poetry so that children, alongside their mothers, can feel joy and confidence.” In a video released by UNICEF on Monday (November 10), Madina Azimi, one of the participating mothers in Herat province, said: “I learned that children under three years old learn best through songs and rhymes. When I sing with my child, his behaviour and emotions improve.” UNICEF added that the programme not only supports children’s learning but also helps mothers understand how to foster their children’s mental and emotional growth through play and emotional connection. The programme comes at a time when millions of children in Afghanistan are deprived of basic opportunities for growth and learning due to poverty, malnutrition, and widespread restrictions on education and healthcare.

Image: Ebrahim Noroozi / AP The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned of a sharp increase in malnutrition across Afghanistan, particularly among women and children, saying that the situation is expected to worsen as winter approaches. In a message on X on Monday (November 10), the organisation said: “For the first time in decades, a full winter response in Afghanistan may not be possible.” The WFP described the crisis as “preventable” and urged the international community to provide urgent and effective support to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe. According to the organisation, more than 2.5 million Afghan returnees, particularly women and children expelled from Pakistan and Iran, are suffering from severe malnutrition. Earlier, World Vision Afghanistan also warned that the country is facing one of the worst nutrition crises in the world. The organisation reported that 3.7 million Afghan children are suffering from acute malnutrition, with one million at immediate risk of death. World Vision added that more than 305 nutrition centres in Afghanistan have closed due to funding shortages, and current international assistance covers only 30 percent of the actual needs.