The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has expressed concern over the ongoing ban on girls' education in Afghanistan. It has urged the interim government to put an immediate end to this "blatant violation" of women's and girls' rights. In a statement posted on its X (formerly Twitter) account, OCHA stated that the ban on girls' education beyond sixth grade, under the current administration, has now entered its third year. OCHA emphasized that over the past three years, 1.5 million teenage girls have been deprived of their right to education beyond sixth grade. Criticism and calls to lift this ban are growing as the new academic year in Afghanistan approaches. However, it remains unclear whether the interim government will allow girls to return to schools and universities in the upcoming school year. OCHA also published a statement from the organization Education Cannot Wait, stressing the urgent need to advocate for girls' and women's right to education under the current administration. Since regaining control of Afghanistan, the interim government has barred girls above sixth grade from attending school and later closed universities to them. In its latest move, it has also prohibited girls from studying at medical institutes, effectively cutting them off entirely from formal education. As a result, millions of female students have been denied access to education. In addition to this, women and girls have been banned from entering gyms, restaurants, public bathhouses, receiving medical check-ups from male doctors, traveling without a male guardian, and working in local and international NGOs, including UN offices in Afghanistan.

Local sources in Bamyan province report that intelligence forces have arrested three foreign nationals, along with their translator and driver, in the Yakawlang district of the province. The three foreigners include two women and one man. At least three sources have stated that among those arrested is a married couple who also hold Afghan identification documents. The source added that their birthplaces, as recorded in their identification documents, are Sri Lanka and Singapore, respectively. The source further mentioned that the other foreign woman, who was arrested by Bamyan’s intelligence forces, holds an American passport but is originally a Chinese citizen. According to the source, these individuals were arrested yesterday (Saturday, February 1) in the Zarin area of Yakawlang district. Additionally, several media outlets have reported that the three foreign nationals flew from Kabul to Bamyan on a plane operated by Paktik Airlines, while their Bamyan-based translator and driver were waiting for them at Zarin airfield. Reports indicate that as soon as they landed at Zarin airfield in Yakawlang district, they were arrested by intelligence forces, along with their driver and translator, and transferred to the relevant authorities. The report further states that the foreign couple, who hold Afghan identification documents, have been living in Yakawlang, Bamyan, for three years, while the Chinese-American woman was visiting them as a guest. It remains unclear what the couple has been doing in Yakawlang, Bamyan. So far, local officials of the caretaker government in Bamyan have not commented on the matter. Since regaining control of Afghanistan, the caretaker government has arrested several foreign nationals, including some dual citizens.

The French newspaper Le Monde reports that 156 female medical staff have left their jobs at the French hospital in Kabul. The report states that there were 280 female medical staff working at this hospital, but currently only 124 are coming to work, and the absence of female healthcare providers from medical centers is a "nightmare" for the people of Afghanistan, especially for women and girls. In its report on the situation at the French hospital in Kabul, the newspaper writes that the restrictions imposed on female healthcare workers by the interim government have put half of the country's population at risk. It goes on to mention that out of nine patient resuscitation specialists at this hospital, eight have quit their jobs. Le Monde quotes Eric Chisson, the head of the French hospital in Kabul, as saying: "Anti-women policies are emptying Afghanistan of female healthcare providers. Currently, medical centers are closing one after another." The head of the French hospital in Kabul states that due to the reduced activities of international health organizations, the number of patients visiting this hospital is steadily increasing. He emphasized: "The influx of patients to this hospital is a tsunami." Eric Chisson added that the International Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders have reduced their health services in Afghanistan. This French official warned that these international organizations are in the process of leaving Afghanistan. Le Monde's report mentions that the current government's morality police are present to monitor the hallways and other areas of this hospital. The newspaper specifies that the morality police regularly oversee the separation of female and male staff and patients in this hospital. The report indicates that the Ministry of Public Health in Afghanistan forced the officials of the French hospital to remove a painting from the wall of this health center that depicted a woman embracing her child. While Le Monde warns of the decreasing number of female healthcare providers in Afghanistan, it notes that the current government has recently banned the remaining opportunities for women's medical education. This comes as the current government has prohibited the education of women and girls above the sixth grade for the past three years.

Officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) have warned that the suspension of financial aid from the United States threatens the polio eradication program in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Hanan Balkhy, the WHO's regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean, emphasized the vital role of U.S. financial assistance in the organization's efforts to monitor polio and other communicable diseases during an online press conference. He also described President Trump's announcement of the U.S. withdrawal from the WHO as "regrettable," stating that the country has been a major supporter of the organization's work in the Eastern Mediterranean for decades. He added, "U.S. financial contributions to the fight against and eradication of polio have been truly decisive. Currently, we are in the final phase of polio eradication in the last two countries in the world, Afghanistan and Pakistan." He reaffirmed the WHO's commitment to protecting the world against the resurgence of the polio virus. This comes as Donald Trump, the U.S. president, issued a 90-day halt to nearly all foreign aid last week to review whether these expenditures align with America's prioritization policy. On his first day in office, Trump announced that he would withdraw the United States from the WHO. In his order, he accused the WHO of mismanaging the COVID-19 pandemic and other global health crises, stating that the organization failed to implement necessary reforms and demonstrate its independence from inappropriate political influence by its member states. Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only countries in the world where the polio virus is still circulating and continues to claim victims among children. In 2024, Pakistan reported 73 cases while Afghanistan reported 25 cases of polio. While Afghanistan has not reported any additional cases of polio so far, Pakistani officials reported the first positive case of polio in 2025 last week. Hanan Balkhy emphasized that the organization is ready to implement reforms that the United States wishes to propose. Balkhy added that budget cuts in 2024 had already reduced the organization's critical health operations, stating, "We seek your support to strengthen our message - help us save lives, revitalize health systems, and restore hope to millions."

Zakia Khodadadi, an Afghan para-taekwondo athlete who won a bronze medal as part of the Refugee Team at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games a few months ago, has been nominated for the title of Athlete of the Year 2024 by the National Institute of Sport, Expertise, and Performance (INSEP) in France. In a press release, the institute stated that Zakia Khodadadi is the first member of INSEP to win a medal in the Olympic competitions. It is worth mentioning that the National Institute of Sport, Expertise, and Performance (Institut National du sport, de l'expertise et de la performance) is a full-time sports and educational institution and a center for training elite athletes located in the outskirts of Paris. Zakia Khodadadi sought refuge at INSEP in France after the political regime change in Afghanistan in 2021, where she continued her training under the guidance of Habib Niaré, a former Olympic medalist from France. The bronze medal at the Paris Olympics represents not only a sporting achievement for Zakia Khodadadi but also a symbol of resilience and perseverance against adversity for athletes around the world. This Afghan female athlete became the European champion in para-taekwondo in 2023. She previously stated in interviews that she began practicing taekwondo at the age of 11. She trained secretly in a gym in her hometown of Herat because there were simply no other opportunities for women to safely engage in sports in Afghanistan. While Ms. Khodadadi has been nominated for the INSEP Athlete of the Year award, it has been over three years since the current government has prohibited girls above sixth grade from attending school, university, and participating in sports in Afghanistan. This action by the current government has resulted in millions of female students being deprived of education. It is also noteworthy that 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 both domestic and international NGOs as well as offices of the United Nations in Afghanistan.

The Ministry of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice of the caretaker government has reacted to the report from UNAMA's Human Rights section, denying the imposition of restrictions on women without a male guardian by the ministry's officials. In a statement released today (Tuesday, January 28), the ministry claimed that this report is "far from reality and based on a Western viewpoint." On Monday, January 27, the Human Rights section of UNAMA published a report stating that the requirement for women to have a male guardian, which is not clearly explained in the law on Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, has created further obstacles for women, including access to public services, employment, and activities outside the home. UNAMA reported receiving information that officials from the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice have instructed health clinics, shops, markets, and restaurants not to provide services to women without a male guardian. However, the Ministry of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has described this part of UNAMA's report as "untrue" and an attempt to discredit the ministry. The ministry emphasized that there is no such stipulation in their law on Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, and that a male guardian is only deemed necessary for women traveling more than 72 kilometers. Additionally, UNAMA stated in part of its report that officials from the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice impose arbitrary restrictions that are not included in the law. For example, UNAMA mentioned that in October 2024, the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice office in Hazrat Sultan district of Samangan issued written instructions to drivers prohibiting women from sitting in the front seat of vehicles. In November, officials instructed female nurses working in the emergency department of a private hospital in Kabul to stop working there and instead work in areas designated for women, such as obstetrics and gynecology. The Ministry of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has rejected claims of imposing restrictions on the rights of women and girls, stating that UNAMA should also report on the ministry's achievements in preventing violence against women and facilitating their access to alimony, inheritance, and dowry. The ministry has also requested that UNAMA consider "the religious and cultural values of the people" in its reports and refrain from unrealistic criticisms.

The Afghanistan Human Rights Center has announced that depriving girls of their right to education in the country has led to an increase in cases of forced and underage marriages, with female students being the primary victims. The rights monitoring organization stated in a report published on Monday, January 29, titled "Women's Access to Quality Education in Afghanistan Under the Interim Government's Control," that the ban on education for women and girls has had devastating consequences for Afghan women, girls, and society as a whole. The report highlights the negative impacts of preventing girls from accessing education, including social isolation, rendering women inactive members of their families, increasing cases of forced and underage marriages, enduring domestic violence, suffering from mental health issues, and even resorting to suicide or forced migration. The report further reveals that the organization has found a "worrying percentage" of female students forced into marriages after being denied access to education. While there is no precise data on the matter yet, the Afghanistan Human Rights Center noted that 10 individuals interviewed for the report had witnessed 34 cases of forced and underage marriages among students in their communities. One of the victims, Momena (a pseudonym) from Takhar province, who was forced into marriage with a member of the current government forces, stated that she knows 10 of her classmates and village girls who were also forced into marriages with individuals they did not wish to marry after being deprived of education. The organization added that, despite existing restrictions, it managed to directly or indirectly interview 15 students and victims of forced and underage marriages. Findings from the research show that 91% of these marriages occurred without the girls' consent. Additionally, 66% of the victims of forced marriages (from the sample group) were under the age of 18. The report recounts the story of Faiza (a pseudonym) from Herat, who was forced to marry a 25-year-old man at the age of 14. Similarly, it mentions Hamida (a pseudonym), a student from Badakhshan, who was forced to marry a 38-year-old local commander one year after leaving school at the age of 15. The commander, who serves the current government, had been married twice before, and both of his previous wives now live with Hamida in the same house. The assessment by the Afghanistan Human Rights Center also found that 66% of the victims of forced and underage marriages were school students, while 33% were university students. Furthermore, 83% of these victims reported experiencing physical violence from their husbands, fathers, brothers, or in-laws. The report stated that 91% of them suffer from severe mental health issues and depression, while 25% said they had contemplated suicide. Previously, Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, also stated in an interview that the ban on education for girls above sixth grade has had a devastating impact on Afghan girls.

The girls' karate team of Afghan refugees in Iran achieved the runner-up position in the second round of the Asian Shotokan Championships. The team secured three gold medals, two silver medals, and two bronze medals in this competition. The second round of the Asian Shotokan Championships was held last week (Monday to Thursday, January 22–25) in Tehran, Iran, with the participation of 2,500 athletes from five countries. The Afghan refugee girls' karate team in Iran secured second place in the team rankings at this tournament. Narges Rezaei, Hania Sadaqat, and Aziza Mohammadi won gold medals; Donya Rezaei and Kimia Mohammadi won silver medals; and Mottahera Hosseini and Sarina Rahmati claimed bronze medals. The Iranian Ministry of Sports and Youth announced that the women’s division of the competition included teams from Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. Additionally, the Afghan men's team secured third place in the tournament, competing against athletes from Iran, Iraq, Oman, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. According to the Iranian Ministry of Sports and Youth, the tournament featured 2,500 athletes, including 1,900 women. This achievement comes despite the Taliban interim government banning women's sports after taking power. Following the ban, all national women’s teams were suspended, women-only sports facilities were closed, and many athletes were forced to migrate to neighboring and other countries. However, some of these girls continued their training after migration and succeeded in winning various medals as part of refugee teams.

Mahmood Khan Achakzai, the leader of Pakistan's Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, referred to the ban on girls' education by Afghanistan's interim government and stated that more pressing issues take precedence over girls' education in Afghanistan. The leader of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party made these remarks yesterday (Sunday, January 27) at a gathering in Quetta, Pakistan. He said, "Afghanistan has major problems, and other issues take priority over education. Afghanistan's freedom and the establishment of a united government are more important than anything else." In another part of his speech, he emphasized, "We do not want to divide Pakistan, but if Pakistan interferes in Afghanistan and we have the power, we will prevent it. We will not allow anyone to harm Afghanistan." He added, "Our party supports whoever is in power in Afghanistan. I declare that I consider myself Afghanistan's foreign minister, and anyone with concerns about Afghanistan must address them through me. The Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party supports anyone who works to preserve Afghanistan's territorial integrity and freedom." He also highlighted Pakistan's treatment of Afghan refugees, saying, "Pakistan should issue identification documents to those Afghan refugees who were born and raised in this country. If this is not done, we will take the matter to international courts." He stated that Afghanistan's freedom is intertwined with the freedom of Pashtuns in Pakistan and reiterated that Pakistan is neither Islamic nor a republic. Mahmood Khan Achakzai criticized the Pakistani government's disregard for Pashtun rights and stressed that Pashtuns should enjoy equal rights like other ethnic groups in Pakistan.