Seyed Javad Hosseini, head of Iran’s Welfare Organization, announced that among the 4,400 child laborers identified in the organization’s programs, more than 86% are foreign nationals, particularly migrants from Afghanistan. Hosseini made these remarks in an interview with Iranian state television, stating that child laborers are active both on the streets and in workshops, and that both forms of child labor are considered illegal. In Iran’s official discourse, the term “foreign nationals” typically refers to Afghan migrants. It is worth noting that Iran is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which prohibits child labor. However, children’s rights activists say that domestic laws and economic conditions have allowed this phenomenon to remain widespread. Migrant children are mostly engaged in garbage collection. Some of them are orphans, while others come from low-income families. Limited access to education for migrant children is also seen as a factor contributing to their involvement in child labor. Although there are no exact figures available on the number of Afghan child laborers in Iran, a former member of Tehran’s City Council once stated that there are around 70,000 child laborers in the capital alone, 80% of whom are Afghan. The sharp increase in the return of Afghan migrants from Iran—occurring alongside intensified forced deportations from Pakistan—has created serious challenges for Afghanistan. Nevertheless, the current Afghan administration is cooperating with Iran on the deportation and repatriation of Afghan migrants.

The Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice of the caretaker government has responded to the UN’s report on harassment of women and girls returning to Afghanistan, calling it “unrealistic, political, and irresponsible.” Saif-ul-Islam Khyber, spokesperson for the ministry, in an audio message urged the UN to judge women “based on Islamic values and the cultural sensitivities of Afghanistan,” saying that women’s rights in Afghanistan are “protected under Islamic Sharia law.” Mr. Khyber further stressed that Afghan women enjoy their Islamic and Sharia-based rights, and that their dignity and security are safeguarded. He added that the caretaker government has taken significant steps to prevent forced marriages, ensure payment of dowries and inheritance, and curb harmful social customs and traditions. In part of his message, he called on the UN—if it is truly an advocate for women’s rights—to pay attention to the mass killing of women and children in Palestine. This comes as the UN Women section on Thursday, August 16, warned that women and girls returning to Afghanistan face dangers such as poverty, early marriage, harassment, and abuse, and called on the international community to take urgent action to protect their rights. The UN report, highlighting the economic crisis, climate challenges, and unprecedented restrictions faced by women and girls, urged the international community to act for their protection. It noted that Afghan women and girls are facing unprecedented limitations on their rights and freedoms due to the dire economic situation and climate challenges.

The United Nations Women's Section has recently stated that women and girls forced to return to Afghanistan are facing increasing dangers of poverty, early marriage, violence, exploitation, and restrictions on their rights and freedoms. In a joint statement, this agency and the international relief organization "CARE" emphasized that returning women and girls urgently need humanitarian aid and sustainable support to rebuild their lives in communities already under severe economic and environmental pressures. The statement noted that since September 2023, over 2.43 million undocumented individuals have returned from Iran and Pakistan. It also mentioned that women and girls make up one-third of the returnees from Iran and about half of the total returnees from Pakistan. Furthermore, it highlighted that many of these women are returning to a country where they have never lived and are facing conditions of homelessness, lack of income, and no access to education or healthcare. The statement continued: "Returning women and girls, like all women and girls in Afghanistan, face increasing risks of poverty, early marriage, violence, exploitation, and unprecedented restrictions on their rights, movement, and freedoms." The statement quoted Susan Ferguson, the UN Women Special Representative in Afghanistan, saying: "Vulnerable women and girls arriving in communities that have already reached breaking point with nothing are at even greater risk." She emphasized that more funding is needed for targeted support for returning women. It is noteworthy that the severe reduction in humanitarian aid budgets has significantly weakened the capacity of humanitarian organizations to respond to needs. Graham Davison, the director of the international relief agency "CARE" in Afghanistan, stressed: "We urgently need support to provide essential services, safe spaces, and protection for returning women and girls." He added that women and girls are returning to Afghanistan with distress, confusion, and despair. The UN Women's Section and CARE stated: "We call on the international community to act now – to protect the rights of Afghan women and girls and invest in the women aid workers who tirelessly strive to support them on the front lines."

UN Women has recently warned that Afghan women and girls returning from Iran and Pakistan are at risk of early marriage, violence, and abuse. In a report released today (Thursday, August 7), the organization stated that returnee women and girls are highly dependent on humanitarian aid, and after returning to the country, their access to community life, humanitarian assistance, and personal freedoms becomes severely restricted. The agency emphasized that one-third of those returning from Iran are women, and nearly half of those deported from Pakistan are also women and girls. According to reports published by national and international organizations, 2.43 million Afghan migrants have been deported from Iran and Pakistan since last year. The UN Women report further stated: “The arrival of vulnerable women and girls, empty-handed, into communities already on the brink of collapse exposes them to even greater dangers.” The organization added that safe shelter, livelihoods, and education for girls are the most urgent needs expressed by women and girls. The UN also warned that the ability of female-headed households to access humanitarian assistance and support their families has significantly decreased. It has called on the international community and aid organizations to take immediate action to support Afghan women and girls. This comes as the UN has previously documented cases in which returnees from neighboring countries have faced detention, torture, and imprisonment. Currently, the deportation and return of Afghan migrants from Iran and Pakistan continues at a rapid pace. Officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran report that one million Afghan migrants have already been deported. Recently, Iran has ordered all undocumented migrants to leave the country. Iranian officials have provided varying statistics regarding the number of undocumented migrants. According to some estimates, the number of undocumented Afghan migrants in Iran may reach four million. In addition, several million Afghan migrants also reside in Pakistan. Recently, the residency cards of over one million individuals have expired, and the Pakistani government has yet to decide whether to extend or terminate them.

Veronika Buschkovich-Poehr, the Chargé d’Affaires of the European Union in Afghanistan, has stated that the empowerment of women and the capacity-building of local communities are part of the EU’s long-standing commitments. Ms. Buschkovich-Poehr made these remarks during a visit to Khost province, where she, along with a delegation from the European Union, visited World Food Programme (WFP) projects in the area and directly spoke with the beneficiaries of these projects. She emphasized that these initiatives are based on investments in areas such as vocational training, the establishment of small women-led businesses, and the development of climate-resilient irrigation systems. The EU Chargé d’Affaires added that such programs are effective steps in honoring the resilience and empowerment of Afghanistan’s local communities. It is worth noting that since the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, women’s rights have been drastically restricted, and their participation in educational, economic, and social spheres has almost completely ceased. Moreover, since regaining power, the Taliban-led de facto government has imposed sweeping restrictions on the fundamental rights and freedoms of women, barring them from education and employment. As a result of these policies, millions of school-age girls have been denied access to education. In addition, women have been banned from attending gyms, restaurants, public bathhouses, being examined by male doctors, traveling without a male guardian, and working in both domestic and international NGOs, as well as United Nations offices in Afghanistan.

Pakistani media have recently reported that the government of Pakistan will not renew the registration cards of Afghan refugees, known as “PoR” (Proof of Registration), and plans to deport those holding these cards. According to Dawn News, Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior issued a special supervisory directive (SRO) last Thursday, stating that PoR cards expired on June 30 of this year, and the stay of their holders in the country is now considered illegal. The report adds that the directive empowers district administrations, police, prosecutors, prison authorities, and other relevant officials to take necessary steps to detain and repatriate PoR cardholders. It further states that the stay of all Afghan nationals in Pakistan without a valid visa and passport is illegal, and therefore, they must return to their home country. It is worth noting that the Pakistani government has already deported undocumented Afghan citizens, as well as holders of the Afghan Citizen Card (ACC). Although PoR cards expired on June 30, cardholders had hoped that Pakistani authorities would extend their legal stay, as they had done in the past. Meanwhile, Qaiser Khan Afridi, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Pakistan, expressed concern over Islamabad’s decision to deport PoR cardholders. He stated, “We have seen the recent SRO issued by the Ministry of Interior on July 31 regarding the launch of the third phase of the plan to return undocumented foreign nationals, and we are engaging with the relevant authorities to clarify its implications for registered refugees.” He emphasized that the return of refugees should be voluntary, safe, and dignified, in accordance with international principles. The UNHCR also reported that as of June 30, 2025, over 1.3 million Afghan nationals were residing in Pakistan. According to the agency’s report, more than 717,945 were living in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 326,584 in Balochistan, 195,188 in Punjab, 75,510 in Sindh, and 43,154 in Islamabad. Following a nationwide refugee census in 2004–2005, the Government of Pakistan, with UNHCR support, issued the Proof of Registration (PoR) cards. In 2016, through an amendment to the Foreigners Act, the Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) was introduced.

Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA (the International Federation of Association Football), has welcomed the launch of the first-ever global talent identification camp for Afghanistan’s refugee women’s football team, calling it “an important step.” According to a report by Al Jazeera, quoting FIFA, a number of Afghan female football players who fled the country after the Taliban takeover participated last month in the first of three global scouting camps held in Sydney, Australia. The report states that this camp is part of FIFA’s plan to form a 23-member team of Afghan female footballers to take part in international friendly matches this year. In addition to the training camps, the program includes support such as providing equipment, establishing connections with local clubs, offering guidance, media training, and helping players identify educational pathways. Pauline Hamill, a former player for Scotland’s national team, has been appointed head coach of the team and led the first training camp in Sydney from July 23 to 29. In an interview with FIFA’s website, she described the initiative as “an incredible project,” adding, “It’s amazing to see the players here. This project has given them the chance to play together again, build memories, and represent Afghanistan.” It is worth noting that since the Taliban took power in August 2021, many members of the Afghan women’s national football team were forced to leave the country due to severe threats and restrictions. The Afghanistan Football Federation has banned women from participating in sports, resulting in the women’s team being excluded from the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

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.