The United Nations Youth Division has recently announced that Nila Ebrahimi, a teenage girl from Afghanistan, has been selected as one of the finalists for the Young Leaders for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2025 program. According to the UN’s statement, following an open call for applications earlier this year, the organization received more than 33,000 applications from over 150 countries, from which 17 individuals from around the world were chosen as Young Leaders for the SDGs. The statement adds that all of these young leaders are between the ages of 16 and 33, and include founders, social activists, peacebuilders, and entrepreneurs who work on key sustainable development issues such as gender equality, human rights, climate change, and peace and security. Quoting Felipe Paullier, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs, the announcement reads: “The 2025 class of Young Leaders for the Sustainable Development Goals represents the courage, creativity, and commitment of young people who are driving real change around the world.” He further emphasized that these young leaders are not only responding to today’s global challenges but are also actively shaping the future. Earlier today (Saturday, October 26), Nila Ebrahimi wrote on her Instagram account that she has been selected as one of the 17 UN Young Leaders for the SDGs 2025. She added that her selection as a UN Young Leader means “contributing to the global effort to build a more just and sustainable world.” The program lasts for two years, during which the selected individuals will work closely with the United Nations and its partners to advocate for the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals and defend people’s rights. It is worth noting that Nila Ebrahimi received the International Children’s Peace Prize 2024 last year for her efforts in promoting the rights of women and girls.

The UK Foreign Office has recently announced that Richard Lindsay, the United Kingdom’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, has called on the interim government not to cut off internet access for the Afghan people. In a statement released by the ministry, it was said that Richard Lindsay made these remarks during his visit to Kabul. The statement added that the UK envoy traveled to Afghanistan in October and met with ministers and officials of the current administration during the trip. According to the statement, Mr. Lindsay discussed a range of issues during his visit, including regional stability, humanitarian assistance, internet access, and the rights of women and girls. Richard Lindsay further emphasized: “This visit was an opportunity to engage constructively with ministers and officials of the current government on important issues. The UK remains committed to supporting the people of Afghanistan and has allocated £4 million in emergency aid and up to £151 million for humanitarian support this year.” During his trip, he also raised concerns with government officials about the impact of internet shutdowns, which have disrupted vital services and isolated communities, urging authorities to maintain internet access. The statement added that he expressed his concerns regarding the rights of women, girls, and ethnic and religious minorities, and highlighted the importance of an inclusive government and constructive participation in the Doha process led by the United Nations. The UK envoy’s remarks in defense of women’s and girls’ human rights come as the current Afghan authorities, since taking power, have banned women and girls from education. Most recently, the government closed medical institutes to female students, despite the country’s healthcare system facing severe staff shortages. This action has left millions of school-aged girls deprived of education. Furthermore, women have been prohibited from attending gyms, restaurants, public baths, being examined by male doctors, traveling without a male guardian, and working for domestic and international NGOs — including United Nations offices in Afghanistan. Severe poverty and the ongoing humanitarian crisis have also forced many families to forgo purchasing school supplies for their children.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has stated in its latest report that the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan “continues to deteriorate.” It warned that restrictions on education, employment, and participation in public life undermine fundamental human rights and the country’s future. In a statement released on Friday, 24 October, marking United Nations Day and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the UN, the mission said Afghanistan is currently facing deep and complex challenges. The humanitarian crisis in the country remains one of the most severe in the world, with about two-thirds of the population in need of humanitarian assistance. The statement also stressed that declining financial support threatens the ability to meet urgent needs and sustain life-saving aid operations in Afghanistan. UNAMA added that, alongside challenges such as climate change, droughts, floods, and environmental degradation, the return of millions of refugees from neighboring countries has further intensified the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan. According to the mission, it continues to engage with all stakeholders to support inclusive governance, protect human rights, and strengthen international support for the Afghan people. Indrika Ratwatte, the Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan and the Humanitarian Coordinator in the country, reaffirmed that the UN “will remain alongside the people of Afghanistan.” UNAMA also called on the international community to cooperate in building “a peaceful, prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable Afghanistan.” These remarks come as the interim authorities in Afghanistan continue to ban girls’ education beyond grade six and prohibit women from working. The government has also imposed severe restrictions on women’s and girls’ freedom of movement and participation in public life.

FIFA has recently announced that the Afghanistan women's football team in exile has been relocated to Morocco to participate in the "FIFA Unites: Women’s Series 2025" international tournament. The New Arab news agency reported this morning (Thursday, November 1) that the competition was originally scheduled to take place in Dubai starting today, but due to visa issues for the players in exile, the location and timing have changed, and it will now begin on Sunday of next week. The Afghan women's team in exile will compete against teams from Chad, Tunisia, and Libya in this tournament. The players of this team, who have left Afghanistan and settled in other countries, have named their team "Afghan Women United." The final roster includes 13 players residing in Australia, 5 players from the UK, 3 players from Portugal, and 2 players from Italy. FIFA previously stated in a statement that this tournament is part of a "comprehensive action strategy for Afghan women's football" and includes support and preparation for Afghan players ahead of the competitions. Tunisia is currently ranked 96th in the world, while Chad and Libya have yet to receive FIFA rankings. In these competitions, "Kershmeh Abbasi, Suvin Azimi, Montaha Maslih, Najma Arefi, Nazia Ali, Bahara Samimi, Bahara Kohestani, Manouj Nouri, Khorsand Azizai, Zeinab Mozaffari, Fatemeh Haidari, Sousan Khajasteh, Mina Ahmadi, Neelab Mohammadi, Marsal Sadat, Elaheh Safdari, Fatemeh Yousofi, Mona Amini, Maryam Karimyar, Fatemeh Erfani, Aziza Alizadeh, Sousan Mohammadi, and Bibi Nouri" will represent the Afghan women’s refugee football team against their opponents.

The United Nations Human Rights Watch has announced that restrictions on the activities and presence of women and girls in the media within Afghanistan have become more severe. On Thursday, Oct 23, this organization published a report stating that only a few women and girl journalists are active in Kabul and Herat provinces, while in most provinces, there are no female journalists working in the media. Human Rights Watch reported, citing women journalists, that in rural areas, they must have a male guardian when traveling for work and are also not allowed to speak with officials of the interim government. A section of the Human Rights Watch report states: "Media outlets have reported that officials from the Ministry of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice regularly visit media organizations to check compliance with regulations, particularly regarding the segregation of workplaces for men and women and ensuring that women wear hijab." The report also mentions that male journalists face serious restrictions when it comes to speaking with women. Furthermore, it states that the current government has forced female journalists to adhere to their prescribed dress code and has banned the broadcasting of series and programs featuring women. Fereshteh Abbasi, a researcher in the Afghanistan section of Human Rights Watch, said: "While all journalists in Afghanistan have been affected and many have left the country, women journalists have been impacted the most." This comes as the law of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has declared the voice, appearance, and presence of women as prohibited. Additionally, since regaining control over Afghanistan, the current government has imposed extensive restrictions on media activities and journalists. These restrictions have led to the shutdown of many media outlets and caused a significant number of journalists to leave the country.

Officials from the Afghan Muay Thai Federation have stated that the national Muay Thai team, consisting of three female athletes, two coaches, and one official, is participating in the third edition of the Youth Asian Games 2025 in Manama, Bahrain. The Afghan Muay Thai Federation announced that, according to the schedule, the Muay Thai competitions will take place from October 21 to November 4, 2025, in Manama. The statement mentioned that in this edition of the Youth Asian Games, over eight thousand athletes from 45 Asian countries will compete in 24 sports disciplines. While the Afghan girls' Muay Thai team is participating in this competition, it is important to note 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 disciplines for women has been prohibited. Additionally, the current government has deprived women and girls of education and schooling since taking control of Afghanistan. In its latest restriction, the government closed the doors of medical institutes to girls and women, while the healthcare sector across Afghanistan is facing a shortage of personnel. This action by the current government has resulted in millions of female students being unable to pursue education and schooling.

Seyed Malek Hosseini, the Deputy Minister of Entrepreneurship Development and Employment of the Islamic Republic of Iran, has recently announced that the country has started issuing work visas, particularly for Afghans. The IRNA news agency reported that Mr. Hosseini made these statements during the second meeting of the "Specialized Commission of the Supreme Employment Council," stating that the issuance of these visas began on October 1 in collaboration with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior. The Deputy Minister of Labor emphasized that employers can register their requests through the "Employment System for Foreign Nationals." He further added that the primary priority is given to Iranian job seekers; however, in the absence of Iranian workers, foreign workers will be issued a nine-month visa in the first year. Based on the performance of foreign labor and the supply conditions of Iranian labor, there is a possibility for reissuance for the following year upon the employer's request. Mr. Hosseini clarified that according to an agreement with the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a maximum of 200,000 work visas will be issued in the first year, with the main goal being "to clarify and monitor the legal workforce of foreign nationals to prevent illegal entry." The Deputy Minister of Labor stated: "We will only allow the use of foreign labor if there are no Iranian workers available for that job position." This announcement comes as Mohammad Reza Bahrami, the Director General of South Asian Affairs at Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had previously mentioned in a meeting with the Afghan Minister of Refugees that 200,000 work visas would be issued for Afghan citizens. While Iranian officials announce the commencement of work visa issuance for Afghan workers, embassies and consulates in Afghanistan are currently not issuing visas for Afghan citizens. Following the expiration of the voluntary departure deadline for Afghan migrants, Iran has halted the normal issuance of visas for Afghan citizens.

Gilles Bertrand, the European Union's Special Envoy for Afghanistan, has stated that the human rights situation in the country—particularly concerning women—is alarming. He made these remarks following the conclusion of his six-day visit to Afghanistan, saying that decisions banning women and girls from working in UN offices send a “negative signal” to the international community. In his statement, Bertrand emphasized the EU’s support for media freedom in Afghanistan. He also expressed concern over the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan and called on both Pakistan and the Taliban-led interim government to show restraint, protect civilians, and resume dialogue. The statement notes that the current government’s restrictions on implementing agencies have made humanitarian aid delivery more costly and difficult, urging the authorities to reconsider these limitations. It also refers to the challenges surrounding the return of millions of Afghan refugees from neighboring countries and announces that the EU will increase its assistance for returnees in 2025. Bertrand further reaffirmed the EU’s support for international dialogues led by the United Nations aimed at achieving peace and inclusive governance in Afghanistan. According to the statement, the European Union has spent over €1.8 billion on humanitarian aid, health, education, and economic development in Afghanistan since 2021. These concerns come as international organizations have repeatedly called on the current Afghan authorities to respect human rights—especially women’s rights—and to form an inclusive government since their return to power.

The United Nations has recently stated that every woman and girl has the right to feel safe in any place. In a message posted on its official X account today (Sunday, October 19), the UN said that governments must invest in preventing gender-based violence. The organization further emphasized that governments should properly enforce laws and put an end to impunity. It is worth mentioning that the UN made these remarks at a time when women and girls in Afghanistan are facing severe oppression. Since taking control of Afghanistan, the current government has deprived women and girls of education and schooling. In its latest restriction, it has closed the doors of medical institutes to women and girls — despite the country’s health sector suffering from a shortage of personnel. This move by the current authorities has left millions of female students unable to continue their education. In addition, 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, as well as in UN offices across Afghanistan.