UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, has reported that measles claimed the lives of at least 357 children in Afghanistan during the first half of the current year. In a newly published report, the organization stated that more than 12 million children in Afghanistan are in urgent need of assistance. Between January and June, over 74,800 suspected cases of measles were recorded in the country, with nearly 80% of those affected being children under the age of five. UNICEF emphasized that other preventable diseases also remain widespread. During the same period, more than 73,000 cases of severe diarrhea with dehydration were reported, including 12 fatalities, along with over 824,000 cases of respiratory infections and pneumonia. The report further highlights that Afghanistan is facing one of the most urgent but underreported child malnutrition crises in the world. Over 3.5 million children in the country are suffering from acute malnutrition, with 1.4 million at serious risk of death. More than 85% of these children are under the age of two. According to the report, in the first six months of 2025, more than 9.5 million children in Afghanistan were screened for malnutrition. Nearly 275,000 received outpatient treatment, while over 23,000 required hospitalization. “Decades of conflict, widespread poverty, climate-related shocks, and the collapse of social services have left over 22.9 million people—more than half of Afghanistan’s population—in need of humanitarian assistance in 2025,” the report states. UNICEF also noted that the ongoing wave of forced returns from Iran has worsened the humanitarian crisis. Between January and June 2025 alone, over 714,000 Afghans returned from Iran, 99% of them without legal documentation, and around 70% were forcibly deported. This has placed enormous pressure on border areas and local communities already grappling with poverty and food insecurity. According to UNICEF estimates, between May and October of this year, around 9.5 million people—roughly one-fifth of the population—will face “crisis” or “emergency” levels of hunger. To continue its operations in Afghanistan in 2025, UNICEF has appealed for $1.2 billion in funding. However, only 51% of that requirement has been met so far.

Majid Parsa, Director of Education for the city of Tehran, has announced that the enrollment of Afghan migrant students for the new academic year will only be permitted upon presentation of documents approved by Iran’s Ministry of Interior. He noted that around 60,000 Afghan migrant students were enrolled in Tehran schools last year. Mr. Parsa described the presence of Afghan students as a contributing factor to overcrowded classrooms in Tehran's schools. He stated that the exclusion of undocumented migrants from the education system in some areas — particularly in southern Tehran — has led to a decrease in classroom density. He predicted that, by imposing restrictions on the enrollment of migrant students in some schools, the average class size could drop from 40 to 33 students. He also emphasized that the number of migrant students in the counties (districts) of Tehran remains high and that further educational and infrastructural planning is required in these areas. Iranian education officials had previously stated that, in an effort to reduce the physical presence of migrant students in Iranian schools, they were exploring avenues of cooperation with the Ministry of Education of the de facto Afghan government to launch online education specifically for Afghan students. Alireza Kazemi, Iran’s Minister of Education, had emphasized that Iran is prepared, under the framework of a tripartite cooperation agreement, to educate all Afghan students through a localized online learning network and issue valid academic certificates in accordance with the regulations of virtual schools. Iranian officials claim that this initiative could help alleviate some of the pressure on Iran’s educational system while also providing access to education for undocumented migrants outside the formal system. This comes at a time when the Islamic Republic of Iran has intensified the deportation of Afghan migrants in recent months. Human rights organizations warn that this action is depriving hundreds of thousands of migrants — especially Afghan girls — of their right to education as they are forced to return to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

Naseer Ahmad Faiq, the Acting Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations, has reacted to the forced displacement of residents from Punjab district in Bamyan province, calling it a “blatant act of oppression” and strongly condemning the forced eviction of indigenous residents from the village of “Rashk” in Punjab district. Mr. Faiq wrote in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account: “The decision of the de facto authorities to forcibly evict the indigenous residents of Punjab district in Bamyan province in favor of the Kuchis is not only a clear violation of property rights and human dignity, but also contradicts the explicit teachings of Islam, principles of social justice, and international human rights commitments.” He further emphasized: “Islam respects lawful ownership and strongly condemns oppression, coercion, and illegal seizure of people’s property. No individual or group — even in the name of the state — has the right to seize people’s homes and land by force and distribute them to others without a legitimate court ruling and fair compensation.” Faiq added that discriminatory treatment of Afghan citizens — especially concerning the settlement of the Kuchis — not only undermines justice, but also deepens ethnic divisions, increases distrust, and fuels hostility and fragmentation among the people. The Acting Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the UN stated: “The Kuchis are undoubtedly part of the Afghan nation and, like all other citizens, their right to live should be ensured within the framework of law, justice, and in consultation with local residents — not through force, threats, or ethnic favoritism.” This comes after the current authorities, following a legal ruling in favor of the Kuchis, forcibly displaced 25 families two days ago from the village of “Rashk” in the Pushta-e-Ghargari area of Punjab district in Bamyan. Local media have reported that a delegation of officials from the current government, along with the Kuchis, entered the village, threw out the belongings of the local residents, and locked their homes. This action has sparked widespread outrage among citizens and activists across the country.

UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund in Afghanistan, has announced that Badakhshan province has the highest number of people suffering from malnutrition in the country. In a newly released report, the agency stated that an estimated 165,000 children and 93,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women in the province are likely to suffer from acute malnutrition this year. UNICEF emphasized that in 13 provinces across northern and eastern Afghanistan, a comprehensive project is being implemented to prevent malnutrition. The report noted: “In Afghanistan, over one-fifth of women suffer from acute malnutrition, and around one-third are affected by anemia.” Previously, UNICEF had also warned that this year, approximately 3.5 million children and one million pregnant women across Afghanistan could be affected by acute malnutrition. The United Nations has also warned of worsening malnutrition among women and children, noting that Afghanistan is among the 15 countries with the highest rates of child malnutrition. It further reported that 4 out of every 10 women in the country are affected by malnutrition. The worsening hunger crisis and its resulting malnutrition have raised alarm bells for millions in need across Afghanistan. The UN has warned that nearly one-third of the Afghan population is in need of food assistance, and 3.1 million people are on the brink of famine. Following the suspension of U.S. funding and a reduction in humanitarian aid from other countries, UN agencies have repeatedly warned about the escalating malnutrition crisis in Afghanistan.

The international organization World Vision has recently warned that ongoing drought in Afghanistan has led to a rise in food prices, and approximately 9.5 million Afghans are facing severe food insecurity. In a statement, the organization said that many families have been forced to skip meals. It shared the story of Abdul, a father of twelve children, whose life and family have been affected by the drought. Abdul told World Vision: “My crops failed because we only relied on rainfall. This year, the drought destroyed everything.” The organization reported that it has distributed aid packages to him and hundreds of others. According to the organization’s report, it is currently distributing vital food packages to 500 people daily, but the crisis in Afghanistan is far from over. The organization also warned in its statement about the consequences of reduced funding on the lives of Afghan families. Late last year, the United Nations had already reported a rise in food insecurity in Afghanistan for the year 2025. It is worth noting that drought is considered one of the main causes of this situation in Afghanistan. Previously, a UN official warned that ignoring the climate crisis in Afghanistan would have devastating consequences. The UN has repeatedly emphasized that Afghanistan is among the 10 countries most severely affected by the negative impacts of climate change, including drought, floods, irregular rainfall, and decreasing water resources.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) for Afghanistan has recently stated that the restrictive policies of the de facto government significantly hindered the humanitarian aid process during the second half of 2024. In a report published on its X (formerly Twitter) account, the agency noted that the "Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice" law, passed on August 21, 2024, has severely limited the freedoms of both women and men, including bans on music and the display of images of living beings. The report also states that, as of December 2, 2024, women and girls have been completely banned from receiving medical education—a decision that has had a profoundly negative impact on access to essential health services. Nevertheless, in 2024, over 20 million people in Afghanistan received humanitarian aid, including 6 million women and 5.1 million girls. However, the restrictions imposed by the current government have drastically reduced Afghan women's and girls’ access to education, healthcare, and employment in aid organizations. Since regaining control of Afghanistan, the de facto authorities have imposed widespread restrictions on the fundamental rights and freedoms of women, barring them from education and work. As a result, millions of school-age girls have been deprived of education. Additionally, women have been banned from going to gyms, restaurants, public baths, being examined by male doctors, traveling without a male guardian, and working in domestic and international NGOs—including UN offices within Afghanistan.

The Associated Press has reported that three years after the ban on secondary and higher education for girls in Afghanistan, many teenage girls who have been denied access to formal education are now turning to religious schools. In a published report, the news agency stated that after returning to power in 2021, the Taliban-led interim government became the only country in the world to officially ban girls from secondary and higher education—an unprecedented move. The report adds that in the absence of any formal educational options, religious schools have become the only educational refuge for thousands of Afghan girls. Nahida, a 13-year-old girl who works in a cemetery in Kabul every day after finishing primary school, speaks of her dream of becoming a doctor: “A dream that, in her view, now seems out of reach. She plans to enroll in a religious school in the upcoming academic year.” Nahida tells the Associated Press with despair: “I would prefer to go to a regular school, but I can't—so I go to a religious one.” Zahedurrahman Sahabi, director of the Tasneem Nusrat Islamic Sciences Center in Kabul, told the AP: “Since schools are closed to girls, they see this as an opportunity to learn.” This center has around 400 students, 90 percent of whom are women ranging in age from three to sixty. They study the Quran, Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), Hadiths, and the Arabic language. He added that even before the closure of formal schools, religious schools were popular, but now the number of applicants has risen dramatically. Currently, there is no accurate data on how many girls have turned to religious schools. However, Karamatullah Akhundzada, Deputy Minister of Education, previously stated that over one million new students enrolled in religious schools just last year. He said the total number of students in these institutions has now exceeded three million.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has recently warned that job opportunities in the country remain severely limited, wages for workers are low, and people's purchasing power has declined. In its weekly Afghanistan market report, which reviews market conditions during the third week of July 2025, the organization stated that the average number of working days for seasonal laborers is only 2.4 days per week, while the average daily wage for unskilled workers is reported to be 316 Afghanis. WFP emphasized that these figures indicate no improvement in employment levels or income compared to the two-year average, and that widespread economic stagnation and unemployment persist. The report further notes that prices of several essential food items remain high across the country compared to the same period last year. According to the organization, the price of salt has increased by 20%, cooking oil by 18%, rice by 9%, and low-cost wheat flour by 1%. The report indicates that the national average price of WFP’s in-kind food basket rose by 0.3% compared to the previous week and by 1% compared to last year. This basket, which includes the basic food needs of families, serves as a benchmark for measuring food access under both normal and crisis conditions. It also states that the food basket defined by the Food Security and Agriculture Cluster in May 2024 at a cost of 5,800 Afghanis has now decreased by 5.1%. However, the price level has not yet reached a point that would require immediate revision or adjustment. According to the report, the prices of key vegetables decreased during the third week of July, mainly due to increased domestic production and improved access to markets. Specifically, the price of tomatoes dropped by 4.7%, onions became 1.4% cheaper, and the price of potatoes rose by 1%. In the non-food sector, such as chemical fertilizers and livestock feed, the report shows slight weekly fluctuations. However, on a year-on-year basis, fertilizer prices have declined, while prices of concentrated animal feed and improved seeds have increased.

The United Nations Women agency has stated that Afghanistan is currently facing one of the most severe women's rights crises in the world. In a newly published report, the agency said that according to its 2024 Gender Equality Index, women in Afghanistan have access to only 17.3% of their human rights and potential — compared to the global average of 60.7%. The report notes that this figure makes Afghanistan the second country in the world with the widest gender gap. It goes on to state that women in Afghanistan have been almost entirely removed from all aspects of public life, and 8 out of every 10 young women are deprived of education and employment — a figure nearly four times higher than that of men. Furthermore, it states that women are still not allowed to work in many sectors, cannot travel without a male escort, and are even banned from entering parks and public spaces. The UN Women report warns that Afghanistan’s development will continue to decline unless the entire population — especially women — is empowered to contribute to progress. The report also points out that decisions made by the international community have contributed to the worsening situation in Afghanistan. In 2025, following the U.S. government's decision to shut down USAID (the U.S. Agency for International Development), over $1.3 billion in global humanitarian aid was cut, of which $562 million had been allocated specifically for Afghanistan. One of the programs affected by this funding cut was a $50 million scholarship fund for Afghan women — a fund that was independently managed and did not rely on taxpayer money. The agency stated that the World Food Programme has warned this funding cut "could amount to a death sentence" for millions at risk of starvation — particularly women and children. The UN Population Fund also lost $24 million in funding designated for women’s health services. As a result, some clinics have shut down, reproductive health services have collapsed, and food aid distribution has ceased. Nevertheless, the United Nations emphasizes that the Gender Equality Index is not just a measurement tool, but a roadmap for global action. Over the past nearly four years, the current government has imposed increasingly strict restrictions on women and girls, removing them from public spaces. Women have been deprived of even their most basic rights under government decrees. UN experts and human rights activists have described such policies as a form of "gender apartheid."

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has recently announced that with the suspension of U.S. financial assistance, 9 million women in Afghanistan will no longer have access to maternal healthcare and broader health services. In a message posted on its X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday, July 23, UNFPA called for continued financial support, warning that the progress made in reducing maternal mortality in Afghanistan is at risk of being reversed. The statement added: “The halt in future funding comes in addition to termination warnings the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has already received for over 40 humanitarian grants. These grants, totaling approximately $335 million, provide essential maternal healthcare, protection from violence, treatment for sexual assault, and other life-saving services in over 20 countries and crisis regions.” It further stated: “This funding reduction will have a devastating impact on women and girls around the world.” Previously, UNFPA had said in another statement that over 6.3 million women would be deprived of maternal and wider health services if U.S. aid were cut. The organization noted that the United States had become one of its most significant partners, contributing an average of $180 million annually. According to available reports, humanitarian aid to Afghanistan has declined. The U.S., which was the largest donor to the country, cut its aid to Afghanistan and other poor countries following the rise of Donald Trump. Additionally, restrictions imposed on women and girls have dealt a severe blow to Afghanistan’s already struggling economy. At the same time, the forced deportation of Afghan migrants from Iran and Pakistan continues — a situation that is further worsening the crisis.