Search Results

Marina Sadat, a young girl, fell victim to a horrific crime last December. She was arrested by Taliban's "Virtue and Vice" agents in the Dasht-e-Barchi area on charges of "improper hijab." 21 days after her arrest, her body was found in a sack next to a stream in the Paghman district of Kabul. Sources close to Marina's family claim that she was tortured and abused by the Taliban during her detention and subsequently killed. It is said that the Taliban, to "cover up the traces of this crime," placed her body in a sack, transported it to Paghman district, and dumped it next to the stream. Marina, who was 23 years old, was a second-semester student in the Computer Science Faculty at Kabul University. When the Taliban closed universities to girls and women, she decided to continue her studies in midwifery at the Farabi Institute in Kabul. She began her studies in this field but was arrested by the Taliban on charges of "improper hijab" and subsequently killed. On the morning of Wednesday, December 20, 2023, Marina left home with her brother. She intended to go to the university, while her brother was heading to a education center for the Kankor exam preparation. At the Nan-waie station in Dasht-e-Barchi, Marina parted ways with her brother. Minutes later, at 9:30 AM, she and several other women and girls were arrested by Taliban's "Virtue and Vice" agents on the pretext of "improper hijab." Marina, who didn't have a scheduled internship on Wednesdays, usually returned home earlier. However, that day she was late, causing her family to start worrying. Her brother contacted her classmates and the management of Farabi Institute, but everyone said Marina had been absent that day. Marina's family searched for her for three weeks. They visited the relevant police stations but were unable to find her. Then they made sure that Marina had been arrested by the Taliban's "Virtue and Vice" agents on the pretext of "improper hijab." A source close to her family, speaking to Zan TV on the condition of anonymity, said, "A girl who was detained with Marina and also arrested from the Dasht-e-Barchi area told Marina's family, when they visited the Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, that Marina was held there for a week but was then transferred to another location." The source added, "After informed that Marina had been transferred to another location, her family visited various Taliban governmental institutions, the old and new Ministry of Interior, Pul-e-Charkhi prison, Badam Bagh prison, the provincial prison, the prison of Directorate 40, the Kabul command, and other detention centers to follow up on her. Unfortunately, they were unable to find Marina." However, 21 days later, on January 10, 2023, her body was found in a sack near a stream at "Chawk-e-Argandi" in Paghman district, Kabul. Signs of torture, beating, whipping, and the butt of a rifle were visible on her body, and there were also marks of strangulation around her neck. The source said, "The local representative contacted Marina's family and told them that their daughter might be in a Taliban prison in Paghman district. The representative was aware of the situation and, to prevent the family from panicking, did not directly tell them that their daughter's body had been found." When Marina's father, mother, and brothers went to Paghman, the Taliban showed them her body. It was said that when Marina's body was found, it was unrecognizable, and her brother identified her by her clothes. Marina's family was shocked upon seeing her body. Her physical condition was extremely dire. The source added, "When Marina's body was found, her family faced a horrific scene. Her face and body were severely blackened, and the marks of strangulation with a cloth were clearly visible around her neck. Her hands and mouth were bound, and her feet were also tied. Her shoes, clothes, and nose were bloodied." The locals found Marina's bag, books, and notebooks at a distance from where her body was discovered. It has been said that Marina's body was transferred to forensic medicine for examination after its discovery. However, forensic medicine did not provide Marina's family with any details or information about the examination results. The source states, "The only question asked by forensic medicine from Marina's family was whether they knew this girl. Due to shock and profound grief, Marina's parents were unable to respond, so her brother said yes, she is Marina, my sister. Then they asked for their IDs from Marina's father, mother, and brother, made copies of them, and returned them. Finally, Marina's family had their fingerprints taken on a piece of paper and handed over Marina's body to them." Marina's family transferred her body to the Imam Reza Mosque in Spin Kalay, a locality of Khushal Khan Mina in Kabul, and buried her there in the afternoon of the same day. Sources have claimed regarding the reason for Marina's torture that "the reason for this torture and horrific violence was that the Taliban had a demand from Marina, which she refused to comply with." Marina's family, after completing the mourning ceremonies, once again approached the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice and Interior of the Taliban to inquire about the reasons and perpetrators of her murder. However, the Taliban did not provide any details to Marina's family and instead threatened them with death in response. As of today, Marina's family has received no response from the Taliban regarding the reasons for her killing, and the motive remains unclear. Marina's parents did not remain silent in their quest for justice and accountability regarding their daughter's murder. They lodged complaints and protested to all Taliban governmental bodies they had previously approached, but received no response. The Taliban pressured Marina's family to refrain from pursuing the matter and threatened them with death to ensure their silence. The threats against Marina's family came both via telephone and directly or indirectly from the Taliban. These threats were specifically directed at Marina's parents, urging them to cease their pursuit of Marina's murder case. According to sources, Marina's family did not take the Taliban's threats seriously and strongly demanded justice for Marina. However, one day unexpectedly, the Taliban raided their house while Marina's family was not home. The Taliban approached their neighbors and asked them about the whereabouts of Marina's family. The Marina family, due to continuous threats from the Taliban and an attack on their home, were forced to flee inside Kabul. Initially, they sought refuge at the homes of friends and relatives in various parts of Kabul city, then stayed temporarily at an airfield area house. However, they were pursued by the Taliban there as well and were compelled to flee from that location too. Ultimately, the Marina family had to escape from Kabul. On February 9th, the Marina family, consisting of seven members including four children, all under the age of 18 with the youngest being 10 years old, headed towards the Nimruz border. The weather was very cold with snow falling. The Marina family's goal was to reach Iran, but unfortunately, they were unsuccessful. They were also identified by the Taliban in Nimruz and forced to return to Kabul. On February 14th, at 11:30 PM, at a Taliban checkpoint at the entrance gate of Maidan Wardak and Kabul, the Marina family was detained while they were aboard bus type 583. The Taliban closed their eyes and mouths them and transferred them to an unknown location. The source states: "During the detention, the Taliban interrogated the Marina family. They asked why they hadn't remained silent and protested every day. The Taliban used physical violence against the Marina family, beating them with lashes and pipes." After their arrest, the Marina family spent 5 days and nights in Taliban custody and were released on the night of February 20th in Gulaee Mahatab Qala. The source states: "The Taliban released them due to the severe mental condition of one of Marina's brothers, who had developed psychological problems after seeing his sister's body, and also because of the young children among the family. However, after the release of the other family members, Marina's parents are still detained by the Taliban." So far, more than 7 and a half months have passed since Marina's parents were detained. The Marina family has no information about parent’s situation and are unaware of their fate. The source close to Marina stated, "Marina's family contacted UNAMA (United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan) and provided them with a detailed account of the situation along with relevant documents, requesting support. However, UNAMA's response was disappointing. They said there was nothing they could do." According to the source, UNAMA has told Marina's family that "while it is true that this is a human rights violation and a crime against women, we are not able to intervene effectively in this matter. This is not the first case of such crimes, as the bodies of several other girls have also been found in the Omid-e-Sabz township and other parts of the city. We can only publish this issue in our quarterly report and have no power to secure the release of Marina's parents or pursue justice for Marina." Now, three brothers and one sister of Marina are living in hiding due to fear of the Taliban. The source says, "Marina had big aspirations. She wanted to complete her education and achieve great success. She was studying Computer Science at Kabul University. Unfortunately, with the Taliban's closure of universities to girls, she couldn't fulfill her dream of completing this desired field. Therefore, she began studying midwifery, aiming to become a doctor and serve her fellow citizens in her community. Marina was a talented and diligent girl. Alongside her university studies, she also learned Islamic sciences, Quran recitation, memorization, and Arabic language. She worked as a seamstress and beautician to cover her educational expenses. Marina adhered strictly to Islamic hijab guidelines, covering even her hair completely." The source says that Marina's family urges all free people and human rights defenders to amplify their voices to the world and not remain silent in the face of "Taliban crimes." Marina's family demands justice for Marina and all women who have become victims of "Taliban injustice and tyranny." They argue that "we must not allow this tragedy to repeat for other women in Afghanistan, and we should always stand for justice and defend the rights of the oppressed." It is worth noting that Taliban forces detained dozens of women and girls from the Dasht Barchi, Khair Khana, and Taymani Project areas of Kabul city in December 2023 and February 2024 under the pretext of "improper hijab". This Taliban action drew widespread reactions, but the group continued to detain women and girls, disregarding these reactions.

googleimage Roya Sadat, a prominent Afghan filmmaker, has won a prestigious award at the International Film Festival of South Asia (IFFSA Toronto) for her latest film Sima’s Song. The film had its Canadian premiere on Wednesday (October 9) in Toronto. Sima’s Song tells the story of two young women from different social classes in 1978; a time when Afghanistan stood on the brink of political change and war. Through a female lens, the film portrays the country’s transition from communist reforms to anti-Soviet resistance and serves as a symbol of Afghan women’s resilience against oppression. Sima’s Song had previously been screened at international festivals including Busan, San Sebastián, and Tokyo, and had also won the Taicca Award at the Busan International Film Festival. The IFFSA Toronto is the largest South Asian film event in North America. This year’s festival featured more than 100 films.

Photo: RLindsayUK/X Richard Lindsay, the United Kingdom’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, has announced that he, along with Harriet Harman, the UK’s Special Envoy for Women and Girls, met with a number of Afghan women leaders and activists in London. Lindsay wrote in a post on the social media platform X on Friday (October 10) that the discussions were “productive and important,” describing the perspectives of Afghan women leaders as “powerful and urgent.” According to him, the meeting focused on ways to support the rights, leadership, and participation of Afghan women. This meeting comes as Afghan women continue to face widespread repression and discrimination under Taliban rule, being deprived of education, employment, and social participation. Various countries, including the United Kingdom, have repeatedly called for the restoration of Afghan women’s fundamental rights, but after four years of Taliban rule, those calls remain unanswered.

Photo: DrSJaishankar/X Indian media outlets have reported that during a press conference held by Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s Foreign Minister, in New Delhi, female journalists were not allowed to attend; an action that has sparked outrage and condemnation among Indian journalists and politicians. The conference took place on Friday (October 10) at the building of the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi. NDTV reported that no female journalist was present at the event and that several women reporters were prevented from entering. Sources familiar with the matter told the outlet that the list of invitees had been prepared by Amir Khan Muttaqi’s accompanying delegation. The Press Trust of India (PTI) also reported that the Indian side had proposed that female journalists be included among the invitees, but Taliban representatives apparently rejected the suggestion. In response, India’s Ministry of External Affairs stated that it had no involvement in organizing the conference and that the invitations were sent by the “Consul General of Afghanistan in Mumbai.” The ministry added, “The premises of the Afghan Embassy are not under the jurisdiction of the Government of India.” However, this explanation failed to calm public anger. Female journalists wrote on social media that they were barred from attending the event despite fully adhering to dress code rules. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, leader of the Congress Party, criticized the Indian government, asking: “How can such humiliation of some of India’s most competent women be tolerated in a country where women are the backbone and pride of the nation?” P. Chidambaram, former Home Minister, said: “I am shocked by this decision. Male journalists should have walked out once they realized their female colleagues were excluded.” Media analysts described the move as a manifestation of the Taliban’s gender prejudice on Indian soil, calling it “unacceptable, disgraceful, and shameful.” They accused the Indian government of showing tolerance toward discrimination, in a country that claims to defend democracy and gender equality. Mahua Moitra, a Member of Parliament from the TMC party, sharply criticized the Modi government and India’s Foreign Minister, saying: “How could you allow the Taliban’s foreign minister to exclude female journalists and hold an all-male conference with full protocol on Indian soil? Why did Jaishankar agree? And why did male journalists remain silent?” Independent Indian journalist Smita Sharma said that not only were women excluded from the event, but India’s Foreign Minister, during his meeting with Muttaqi, also failed to raise the dire situation of Afghan women and girls under Taliban rule. The Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) strongly condemned the incident and criticized the Modi government for permitting such discrimination. Pooja Tripathi, spokesperson for the Congress Party, also said: “How dare our government allow Amir Khan Muttaqi to bar female journalists from a press conference and host an all-male event on Indian soil? This sends the wrong message, especially on the International Day of the Girl.” In Afghanistan, the Taliban have banned women from education, work, and public life; a policy that human rights organizations have described as “gender apartheid.” Now, it appears that the group is extending this demeaning attitude beyond Afghanistan’s borders. The incident has also provoked anger among activists inside and outside Afghanistan. Social media users have accused India of “submitting to the Taliban” and said that New Delhi should not remain silent in the face of such humiliation of women for the sake of political interests.

Source: GlobalGiving In a city where the sound of turning book pages once echoed through every corner, a heavy silence now rests over the wheels of the Charmaghz Mobile Libraries. The team of this cultural and educational initiative announced on Tuesday that due to “restrictions” and “operational challenges,” they have been forced to halt the operations of their 17 mobile libraries in Kabul; libraries that, since 2018, had opened a window of hope and knowledge for more than 40,000 children. Freshta Karim, child rights activist and founder of the program, wrote in a statement: “We are pausing temporarily, but our mission to defend the right to education and the dream of a better future for Afghanistan’s children remains unchanged.” But the reality is harsher than a “temporary pause.” The suspension of this program symbolizes the extinguishing of one of the last lights of free education in a country whose education system has fallen more than ever under the domination of the Taliban’s ideology. When Education Becomes a Tool of Control Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have turned education from a human right into a tool for ideological engineering of society. Girls’ schools above the sixth grade have been closed, university programs in social and modern sciences have been eliminated or restricted, and religious and Sharia subjects have replaced natural sciences, philosophy, and modern history. What the Taliban call “reform of the education system” is, in practice, a project to indoctrinate the next generation; a generation expected to learn how to “obey,” not how to “think.” In such an environment, programs like the Charmaghz Mobile Libraries, which aimed to promote critical thinking, creativity, and a love of reading, become a threat to the Taliban’s intellectual order. Books Exiled from the Streets of Kabul With their bright colors and shelves filled with stories and illustrations, the Charmaghz Mobile Libraries had been roaming the streets of Kabul since 2018, introducing children to the world of words. More than one million children benefited from the program; many of them held a non-textbook book in their hands for the first time in their lives. Now, however, these libraries—most of whose staff were women—have come to a halt. The Taliban, fearful of any form of free gathering, even for children, have indirectly made it impossible for such programs to continue: through tight control of movement, strict licensing requirements, and the interrogation of female volunteers over “gender mixing” or “promoting Western ideas.” From Education to Ideological Propaganda Afghanistan’s current education system is being transformed into a completely ideological structure. Teachers and school administrators are required to organize curricula based on Taliban ideology. In public schools, social science textbooks have been deleted or rewritten; in some areas, even mathematics and physics lessons have been replaced with religious narratives. Instead of teaching critical thinking and science, children are being taught “how to remain faithful” and “how to identify the enemies of Sharia.” The result is generations distanced from scientific and modern worldviews, turned into instruments for perpetuating ideological domination. Forced Migration of Knowledge and the Silencing of Women’s Voices The suspension of Charmaghz’s activities is not merely an operational decision; it is part of a larger wave that, over the past three years, has forced educational, cultural, and human rights institutions to shut down or flee. The majority of the staff of these libraries were women; women who bravely roamed the dusty streets of Kabul to encourage children to read. Today, many of them have lost their jobs and been pushed to the margins, while the Taliban still refer to “women’s right to education” as a “matter under consideration.” The Future Outlook: Education in Exile The Charmaghz team has announced that it will continue its activities through an organization called Fereshta in the United States and is developing a new program for Afghan children, which is expected to be launched in the spring of 2026. But the central question remains: as long as education in Afghanistan remains hostage to ideology, what will the next generation of this country learn? Conclusion The suspension of the Charmaghz Mobile Libraries is not merely a logistical halt; it is a sign of the gradual collapse of the culture of reading, freedom of thought, and the right to independent education in Afghanistan. In a country where girls are deprived of schooling, teachers are censored, and libraries have gone silent, the only thing that remains alive is the dream of education; a dream that may no longer continue in the streets of Kabul, but in exile.

Image: Public Tribunal for the women of Afghanistan On the second day of the People’s Tribunal for Afghan Women, held on Thursday (October 9) in Madrid, Spain, prosecutors and witnesses spoke about the widespread violations of women’s rights and the rights of vulnerable groups under Taliban rule. Benafsha Yaqoubi, one of the prosecutors at the tribunal, said that the Taliban have completely ignored the rights of persons with disabilities, leaving many of them confined to their homes. She added, “Those who are blind or physically disabled remain trapped within the four walls of their houses. There is no support or service for them, and the Taliban have even restricted aid to this group.” Yaqoubi referred to a shocking case in which a girl with a disability was forced into marriage and, after her husband’s death, now lives with her children in difficult conditions. In the same session, Orzala Nemat, another prosecutor at the tribunal, emphasized the widespread deprivation of women from healthcare services. She said, “Women are not allowed to visit medical centers without a male guardian, and the shortage of female doctors has made the situation worse.” She added that in many villages, women resort to suicide due to psychological pressure and lack of healthcare. The organizers of the tribunal said that the aim of holding it is to document the Taliban’s crimes, seek justice for the victims, and confront the global silence regarding the systematic oppression of Afghan women. It is worth noting that the first day of the tribunal was held on Wednesday (October 8). At the opening session, Shaharzad Akbar, head of the Rawadari organization, said that the purpose of this tribunal is to break the global silence surrounding the suffering of Afghan women and to provide a platform for them to share their experiences. She added, “This court is a struggle for justice and accountability. Women victims must be able to share their stories freely and without fear.” On the first day, several protesting women and former Taliban prisoners testified. Parwana Ebrahimkhil, one of the detained protesting women, said that the Taliban tortured her on charges of “espionage, promoting Western values, and indecency” and even intended to stone her. She said, “Even now, the scars from the Taliban’s beatings remain on my head, and I am still suffering from them.” Atifa Hamidi, another former Taliban prisoner, said that the Taliban tortured her because of her ethnicity and gender. She added, “After the torture, the Taliban gave me sedatives. They repeatedly threatened to kill me, and the marks of torture are still visible on my body.” At the end of the first day, the tribunal’s prosecutors released the full indictment against the Taliban. The document accuses senior Taliban leaders, including Hibatullah Akhundzada, Sirajuddin Haqqani, Mohammad Yaqub, Abdul Ghani Baradar, Nida Mohammad Nadeem, and Khalid Hanafi, of committing crimes against humanity and gender-based discrimination. The indictment emphasizes that the Taliban’s policies against women are deliberate, extensive, and organized, aiming at the complete elimination of women from Afghanistan’s educational, social, economic, and civil spheres. The organizers of the People’s Tribunal have said that this process is an opportunity to record the truth and pursue justice and that it symbolizes global solidarity in defense of Afghan women’s rights.

Image: prima91/Stock.adobe.com Amid growing pressure on freedom of expression and access to information, the Taliban have restricted access to Facebook in several provinces of Afghanistan. Citizens, expressing dissatisfaction, say that this move is part of the Taliban’s systematic effort to silence the people’s voices and censor the truth. This action comes after access to the social media platform Instagram was also disrupted and restricted in some areas on Tuesday (October 7). Social media users say, “The Taliban want to keep us silent, but the people’s voice cannot be silenced.” Reports from various provinces indicate widespread disruption in access to popular social media platforms. In the absence of free media, social networks have become the only tool of expression and information-sharing for many Afghans; a tool now placed under Taliban restrictions.

Amid the Taliban’s growing restrictions, residents of Kandahar province say that their access to fiber-optic internet has been completely cut off for the second time in recent weeks, an action that has sparked widespread concern and reactions among citizens of the province. Local sources in Kandahar told Zan News that the internet shutdown was carried out under the direct order of the Taliban’s leadership, and no official explanation has yet been provided. This comes as many residents of Kandahar, especially students, university attendees, business owners, and private sector employees, rely on the internet for their daily activities. One Kandahar resident told Zan News: “The Taliban cut off the internet the first time without any prior notice, and now they have repeated the same action for the second time. We live in the age of technology, but here, without the internet, we cannot even conduct our basic transactions.” Restrictions on internet access in Afghanistan, especially in areas under the Taliban’s strict control such as Kandahar, have drawn both domestic and international criticism. Many view this move as part of the Taliban’s repressive policy to control the flow of information, censor the media, and limit people’s communication with the outside world. It remains unclear how long this internet outage will continue, but the people of Kandahar and Kunduz are calling for the immediate restoration of internet services and an end to such arbitrary restrictions.

Image: AI-generated Author: Mursal Qaisari In a world full of sorrow and discrimination, where we girls grow up, having a supportive father is not only a blessing but a miracle. I am one of those lucky daughters who experienced this miracle in her life. My father not only did not restrict me, but he gave me wings to fly. I was raised in a Pashtun family in Afghanistan, and I have five elder sisters and one younger brother. In a society like Afghanistan, when a family has only daughters and no sons, heavy looks and judgments always follow. People in my country believe that having a son is a kind of honor and a guarantee of the family’s future. When a father does not have a son, many pressure him to remarry so that he can have one and continue his family name. Before my brother was born, my father experienced the same situation, he had six daughters and no son. Many people would say, “Why doesn’t he remarry? Doesn’t he want a son who will take care of him one day?” Although my brother was born two years after me and I did not hear such things myself, my mother and sisters often told me about those times. But my father never had such wrong thoughts. Even though he held a respected position in our city and could have easily remarried, he never considered it. He never saw us as less capable or less valuable than boys. Instead, he believed that we had the same ability and worth that any son could have. Since my childhood, the only things I received from him were love, care, and endless support. In a society where some fathers restrict their daughters to stay at home or marry at an early age, my father always encouraged us to chase our dreams and pursue education. That is why all four of my elder sisters have graduated from university, and I am now studying in Pakistan with one of my sisters. He always wanted us to get what we truly deserve. He never told me, “You can’t do it because you are a girl.” Instead, he gave me courage, love, and support. He always believed in me and provided the opportunities I needed to reach my dreams. This vision of my father, in a society that often sees women as less valuable than men, was like a light for me. He is the one who proved to me that good men still exist men who do not ignore their daughters, men who, instead of remarrying and breaking their family’s hearts, give value to the family they already have. My sisters and I were raised by such a man. When conditions in Afghanistan became too difficult for living and studying, he tried hard to get me out of the country so that I could live in a safer environment, a place where I could learn, live peacefully, and freely pursue my dreams. It was not an easy decision for him, because in our culture it is a big issue when a young girl travels alone to another country. But he never paid attention to such barriers. Eventually, he brought me to Pakistan to continue my education. This sacrifice shows that he is not just my father; he is the hero of my life. When I look back at the path I have walked, I realize that it would have been impossible without him. Although I have always had the full support of my mother and sisters, in Afghanistan every major decision for a daughter belongs to her father. If he had not supported me, I would also have been trapped between restrictions and silent walls. But he never wanted me or any of my sisters to be prisoners of tradition. My father taught me that the value of a girl lies in her abilities, not in the opinion of others. He showed me through his actions that respect for women is not just a slogan, it can be reflected in a man’s behavior, in his choices, and in his fatherly love. His support gave me such power and confidence that nothing can take them away from me. I wish all Afghan girls had a father like mine. I wish all fathers would give their daughters wings to fly, rather than limiting them. Then maybe our world would become a better place, maybe being a girl would no longer feel so hard. With every step I take and every decision I make, I know I am not alone. There is a man standing by my side who has built bridges for me instead of barriers. He taught me that a father can also be a friend. For me, he is not just a father but my whole world. He is the answer to all those who say that good men are rare. I say no, good men still exist, men who remain loyal to their wives and give wings to their daughters to fly. I wrote this piece about my own father, a man who proved to me that being a girl is not a shame or a crime, but a pride. He showed me that having six daughters and only one son was never a lack for him, but a blessing. Today, I want to convey a message to all Afghan fathers: Having a daughter is a pride. Your daughters are as valuable as your sons. They carry your name with honor and dignity. If a father, like mine, believes in his daughter, that girl can even change the world. I hope the story of my life inspires Afghan fathers to love and support their daughters more. I hope for a day when all fathers believe in their daughters, support them, and never consider them a burden or a disgrace. I hope they understand that a daughter can build the future of her family, and even her country, shoulder to shoulder with a son, and sometimes even more.

Photo by Eric Bridiers The UN Secretary-General has warned that the systematic exclusion of women and girls from public life in Afghanistan is continuing at a rapid pace, accompanied by severe restrictions on education, employment, healthcare, and access to justice. Antonio Guterres made these remarks on Monday (October 6) during a United Nations Security Council meeting focused on “Women, Peace, and Security,” saying: “In Afghanistan, the systematic erasure of women and girls from public life is in overdrive, with appalling restrictions in accessing education, employment, healthcare and justice, and surges in sexual violence and maternal mortality.” He stressed that the international community must take coordinated and urgent action to support Afghan women and girls and to end their systematic oppression. He also referred to the situation of women in crisis-hit areas such as the Palestinian Territories, Sudan, Haiti, and Myanmar, saying that women in these countries also face violence, displacement, and widespread discrimination. Guterres added that currently more than 676 million women and girls live near conflict zones — the highest number in decades — and the rate of sexual violence against them has increased by 35 percent. These remarks come as the Taliban, since returning to power, have imposed unprecedented restrictions on women and girls, depriving them of education, employment, and social participation. Human rights organizations have described these policies as a form of “gender apartheid” that has plunged the future of Afghan women and girls into darkness.