Tajuddin Owais, a representative of UNICEF (the United Nations Children's Fund), recently announced that Afghanistan has made significant progress in the fight against polio, but efforts to eradicate the disease continue. Mr. Owais posted a message on his X account stating that during his visit to Kandahar, he met with children and families who participated in polio vaccination programs. He emphasized that ensuring every child has access to the vaccine brings Afghanistan one step closer to a polio-free future. UNICEF has expressed gratitude for the support of partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative for vaccination programs in Afghanistan. Additionally, UNICEF has consistently highlighted the importance of efforts to deliver vaccines to all children to prevent the resurgence of this disease. Afghanistan and Pakistan remain the only two countries in the world where the wild poliovirus is still endemic. The report indicates that since the beginning of this year, Afghanistan has recorded six cases of polio, while Pakistan has reported three cases. In 2025, Afghanistan had reported 21 cases and Pakistan 31 cases. The report also notes the continued circulation of the virus in the environment. According to these statistics, Afghanistan has recorded 34 positive environmental samples so far in 2026, while Pakistan has reported 90 positive samples. Environmental monitoring involves testing wastewater samples to detect signs of poliovirus transmission. This data shows a decrease compared to 2025, when Afghanistan recorded 94 positive environmental samples and Pakistan recorded 651 positive samples. The World Health Organization stated that one of the recent polio cases in Afghanistan was identified through tracking contacts with the patient, highlighting the importance of surveillance systems in detecting the transmission chain of the virus.

The "European Union Humanitarian Aid Office for Asia and the Pacific" has warned about the hunger crisis in Afghanistan, stating that the crisis has arrived in the country. In a message posted on their X account, this organization called for global attention to the hunger crisis in Afghanistan. The office emphasized that border closures, disruptions in supply chains, deteriorating livelihoods, and reduced humanitarian funding are exacerbating the food and nutrition security crisis. The "European Union Humanitarian Aid Office for Asia and the Pacific" added that the world must take action with increased funding and solidarity to address the hunger crisis in Afghanistan. Additionally, two days ago, OCHA, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Afghanistan, also reported that while the crisis in Afghanistan may no longer be headline news, its impact is felt daily by millions of families. OCHA noted that many families in Afghanistan are struggling to meet their basic needs. This comes as humanitarian organizations have repeatedly warned of a worsening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan following the suspension of U.S. aid funding to relief agencies in the country. Earlier this year, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) stated that due to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, it requires $350 million in funding to continue its lifesaving operations over the next six months. The World Food Programme had previously warned that halting or further reducing aid could push more children and mothers into acute malnutrition and make families vulnerable to economic and climate shocks. The report indicated that in many areas of Afghanistan, families are facing severe difficulties in securing their daily food, with many lacking any source of income.

Hamid Karzai, the former President of Afghanistan, expressed his regret over the exclusion of girls from the university entrance exam (Kankor) and called for the reopening of schools and universities to them. In a message posted on his X account, Mr. Karzai stated that the progress of the country depends on the knowledge and expertise of both girls and boys. He emphasized the importance of universal education and stated that girls must be given the opportunity to continue their education as soon as possible so they can play a role alongside boys in the development and progress of the country. He also congratulated this year's Kankor exam passers and those who have been accepted into higher education institutions, wishing them success in their future endeavors. Karzai urged these young people to gain knowledge and achieve higher academic levels to serve the development of Afghanistan in the future. This comes at a time when girls have been deprived of education beyond the sixth grade since September 2021, and since late 2022, they have also lost the right to enter universities. Consequently, the Kankor exam for 1405 has been held for the fourth consecutive year without the participation of girls, with only male candidates allowed to take part. This action by the current government has resulted in millions of schoolgirls being denied education. In addition, women have been banned from going to sports clubs, restaurants, public baths, being examined by male doctors, traveling without a male guardian, and working in domestic and international non-governmental organizations as well as in United Nations offices in Afghanistan. According to reports, if this ban continues, nearly four million girls may be deprived of education by 2030.

Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, has called for recognition and support for the Afghanistan women's and girls' cricket team. Mr. Bennett posted a message on his X account stating that the Afghanistan women's cricket team has been in exile since 2021, and its funding will end in August of this year. He also emphasized that with the start of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the International Cricket Council (ICC), no sustainable support mechanism for this team has yet been established. The UN Special Rapporteur noted that the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has managed to find a way to support female football players in Afghanistan, and cricket could take similar action. He added that recognition and sustainable support for female athletes in Afghanistan is the least that can be expected. It should be noted that since the current government's takeover, strict laws have been imposed against women; their presence in stadiums is banned, and participation in many sports for women has been prohibited.

Alexander De Croo, the head of the United Nations Development Programme, during his visit to Balkh and meeting with women entrepreneurs, stated that the support of this organization for a dried fruit processing workshop in Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of this province, has helped grow this business and create job opportunities for over 300 women. Mr. De Croo described this workshop as an example of investment in the economic improvement process in Afghanistan and mentioned that job creation in the private sector can contribute to strengthening the local economy. In a message posted on his X account, he wrote that during his visit to the "Taq Dried Fruits" workshop in Mazar-i-Sharif, he witnessed the impact of the supportive approach of this program in various economic sectors. He emphasized that support for farmers, local infrastructure, and private companies has aided in the growth of this workshop and created job opportunities for women. This comes as the head of the United Nations Development Programme recently visited Afghanistan with the aim of directly assessing the humanitarian and developmental situation, engaging with the people, and evaluating ways to support local communities. The United Nations has stated that this visit focuses on finding practical solutions to support women, returnees, internally displaced persons, and host communities.

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has recently announced that it has examined the economic and social situation in Afghanistan, describing the status of women and girls in the country as still dire. In a message posted on its X account, the organization stated that this report presents an analysis of the situation in Afghanistan from 2024 until the end of 2025. The United Nations emphasized in part of its report that restrictions on education, employment, mobility, and women's access to public life will increase by 2025, exacerbating the human capability deficit in the country. The report notes that Afghanistan remains the only country in the world where girls are deprived of secondary and higher education. The UNDP further added that these restrictions reduce the workforce and undermine the country's future economic potential. Additionally, the UNDP highlighted that the caretaker government's restrictions on providing essential services to women, particularly in health and education, weaken these sectors. The report states: "The ongoing exclusion of women from public and economic life is the most significant barrier to improvement and long-term development in Afghanistan." This report, which was completed in May, also examines the economic situation, migration, employment, natural events, trade, droughts, security, livelihoods, and poverty in Afghanistan.

OCHA, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, has recently stated that the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan has fallen out of the headlines, yet millions of families feel its impact every day. In a message posted on its X account, the organization wrote: "The crisis in Afghanistan may no longer be headline news, but its effects are felt daily by millions of families, and meeting urgent needs does not equate to improving their living conditions." OCHA further emphasized: "Recovery goes beyond meeting immediate needs. Recovery means restoring livelihoods, strengthening resilience, and helping communities build a more hopeful future." The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs also quoted a woman from the Giyan district of Paktika, who stated that her family is struggling to feed their children. The woman said: "I told my husband that if we can no longer afford to feed the goats, we should sell them because we are having trouble feeding our own children." Poverty and unemployment, along with the increasing impacts of climate phenomena such as consecutive droughts in Afghanistan, have created a situation that international organizations consistently refer to as a "crisis." Meanwhile, the United Nations had requested over $1.7 billion in funding to address the urgent needs of approximately 22 million people in Afghanistan. However, halfway through the year, only about 16 percent of this budget has been secured. Additionally, UN-related organizations have previously stated that following the onset of the Ukraine war, the Gaza conflict, and the U.S.-Israel tensions with Iran, Afghanistan has fallen off the world's radar as these three new conflicts have had a global impact.