Amid the ongoing arrests and deportations of Afghan migrants from Pakistan, the country’s police have arrested Fatema Bakhtiari, a human rights activist. In a video message sent to Gowharshad Media, Bakhtiari stated that she was arrested on Wednesday night, September 12, and transferred to a “camp.” She did not specify in the video from which city she was detained. In the footage, visibly worried and in tears, the activist appealed to international organizations and refugee support groups for help. Bakhtiari claimed in the video that she had recently been living in hiding but was still detained by Pakistani police. She also expressed concern about being deported to Afghanistan. It is worth noting that in recent months, Pakistan has intensified the arrest and deportation of Afghan human rights defenders, protesting women, and former military personnel. The Pakistani government’s deportation of Afghan migrants has sparked a wave of criticism from human rights defenders and organizations, who have called for the expulsion to be halted. The government of Pakistan has set September 1 as the final deadline for return, which also includes holders of the PoR (Proof of Registration) cards.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has recently warned that the recent earthquakes in Afghanistan have placed women, children, people with disabilities, and the elderly at greater risk and vulnerability. In a statement posted on its official X account, the agency wrote that the shortage of female aid workers has made addressing the needs of women and girls an urgent necessity. The UNHCR further emphasized that Afghanistan was already facing severe drought and the return of millions of Afghan migrants from neighboring countries, and now the earthquakes have deepened the humanitarian crisis. The international agency added that millions of people in the earthquake-affected areas are in urgent need of shelter, food, and medical care, and without international assistance, many lives are at risk. The agency has called on the international community to urgently deliver humanitarian aid to those affected. This call for the participation of women and girls in social and health services comes as a 6-magnitude earthquake struck eastern provinces of Afghanistan last night. More than 1,400 people were killed and over 3,000 others injured in the quake. More than 5,000 homes were also destroyed in the earthquake.

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the de facto government, announced that the death toll from the earthquake in Kunar has risen to 1,411. In a message posted on his X account today (Tuesday, September 2), Mr. Mujahid also stated that the number of injured in this deadly earthquake in eastern Afghanistan has reached 3,124. He further emphasized that 5,412 houses in the districts of Nurgal, Suki, Chapa Dara, Pech Dara, Watapur, and Asadabad of Kunar have been destroyed. However, moments earlier, the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which is under the administration of the de facto authorities, reported the earthquake death toll in Kunar at 1,124. The Afghan Red Crescent added that more than 8,000 houses have been destroyed in eastern Afghanistan due to the earthquake. The organization also noted that many people remain trapped under the rubble of their homes. Yesterday, officials reported 800 deaths and around 3,000 injuries. Meanwhile, local sources in Kunar told Goharshad media that rescue operations face serious challenges due to difficult access roads. The source emphasized that rescue teams from various agencies have not yet been able to reach some areas of Mazaar Valley in Nurgal district. It should be noted that a 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck the eastern provinces of Afghanistan last night. Nevertheless, international organizations and government officials have stressed the importance of delivering aid and services to the families of the victims and the injured.

The United Nations Women’s Division has recently announced that, according to a survey conducted by the organization, 92 percent of Afghans support the education of women and girls and oppose the stance of the de facto authorities on banning girls’ education. In a statement, the agency said the survey was conducted through door-to-door interviews, covering the views of 2,190 Afghan citizens on girls’ education. The findings show that in rural communities, 87 percent of men and 95 percent of women support girls’ education, while in urban communities, 95 percent of both men and women are in favor. The statement quoted Susan Ferguson, UN Women’s Special Representative in Afghanistan, as saying: “Almost always the first thing girls tell us is that they are eager to learn and only want a chance to go to school.” Ferguson further emphasized: “Families have also said they want their daughters to have this dream. They know that literacy and learning can change the trajectory of a girl’s life in a country where half of the population lives in poverty.” Sophia Calthorpe, Head of Humanitarian Affairs at UN Women, also said in a press conference that support for girls’ education among both men and women in Afghanistan’s rural and urban communities is “remarkable.” She stressed that nine out of ten people included in the survey said they oppose the current government’s restrictions on girls’ education, adding that these restrictions do not reflect the views of the people. According to findings from the UN Women’s Gender Alert report, 92 percent of respondents said that access to secondary education for girls is essential. The report also stated that among men, 63 percent described a father who supports his daughter’s education as “pious,” which reflects their deep alignment with the right to education for girls. UN Women further warned of the consequences of banning girls’ education and the restrictions imposed by the de facto authorities. According to UN Women’s report, the impact of these restrictions goes beyond the economy and systematically undermines women’s ability to envision a future in which they can work, lead, and participate. The Head of Humanitarian Affairs at UN Women called for concrete responses to Afghan women and girls in the face of these restrictions, describing the situation as one of the world’s greatest “tests” in the field of gender equality.

UN experts have recently warned against the imminent expulsion of Afghan refugees from Pakistan, saying that women and girls are among the most vulnerable groups who would face serious risks if forcibly returned to Afghanistan. In a statement, the experts noted that while millions of Afghans are on the verge of deportation from Pakistan, Afghanistan itself is grappling with severe crises and is unprepared to absorb such a large wave of returnees. The statement said that millions of Afghans in Pakistan are at risk of being sent back to a country facing a deep humanitarian crisis, where women and girls are deprived of their most basic rights, including freedom of movement, education, and employment. The experts further warned that mass deportations from Pakistan would halt the education of thousands of Afghan children and adolescents—particularly girls, who are already banned from schooling beyond grade six in Afghanistan. They added that women heads of households, as well as those without a male guardian, would be placed in especially difficult situations if deported, since they lack both safe shelter and support networks to ensure their security and livelihoods. According to the UN experts, the principle of non-refoulement is a binding obligation under international law, and no country has the right to return individuals to places where their life or freedom would be at risk. They called on the Government of Pakistan to immediately halt the deportation plan and honor its international commitments. The statement also stressed that Afghan women and girls, already suffering under the restrictions imposed by the de facto authorities, face a heightened risk of exclusion, and deportations would further endanger their lives and futures. While appreciating Pakistan’s decades-long hosting of millions of Afghan refugees, the experts urged the international community to step up support for Afghan women and girls and take greater responsibility in their resettlement. It should be noted that on July 31, the Pakistani government announced that under the “Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan,” all Afghans—including holders of Proof of Registration (PoR) cards—must leave the country by September 1.

The United Nations’ women’s section has recently declared that four years after the caretaker government took power in Afghanistan, the rights and dignity of women and girls have been systematically violated. In a newly published report, the body stated that none of the imposed restrictions have been lifted, and with each new decree, women have been further erased from social life. It also noted that girls in Afghanistan are deprived of education beyond the age of 13. The report added that women and girls have been excluded from most jobs and political activities, and in many areas, they are not even allowed to move around without a male companion. The UN Women’s division further warned that banning women and girls from medical education, restrictions on treatment by male doctors, and the decline in foreign aid have left women without access to essential healthcare. The organization stressed that the consequences of this situation are shocking, leading to increased maternal mortality, the rise of forced child marriages, and a surge in violence against women. While praising the courage and resilience of Afghan women, the UN body urged the international community not to remain silent in the face of this crisis. The report emphasized that supporting women and girls in Afghanistan is an urgent necessity. This comes as the current government, after taking power, has banned women and girls from education. In its latest restriction, it shut the doors of medical institutes to female students, even as Afghanistan’s healthcare sector suffers from a shortage of personnel. This action has left millions of schoolgirls deprived of education. In addition, women have been barred from going to gyms, restaurants, public baths, receiving checkups from male doctors, traveling without a male guardian, and working in domestic and international NGOs — even including UN offices in Afghanistan.

The Ministry of Higher Education of the caretaker government has recently announced that 18 subjects have been removed from Afghanistan’s academic curriculum, and the teaching of 66 other subjects will only be permitted after “revisions” and “reforms.” The ministry stated that the reason for this decision is the “inconsistency of certain subjects with the principles of Sharia and the policy of the Islamic Emirate,” and conveyed it through an official letter to public and private universities. According to the letter, subjects such as Afghanistan’s Constitutional Law, Women’s Sociology, Good Governance, Human Rights and Democracy, History of Religions, Moral Philosophy, Sexual Harassment, and The Role of Women in Public Communication have been completely removed from the curriculum. The ministry argued that these subjects contradict the religious and political views of the government. Additionally, the teaching of 66 other subjects in the fields of political science, law, international relations, sociology, psychology, and media is conditional on revision and modification. The letter specifies that this list includes topics such as Public and Islamic International Law, Fundamentals of Foreign Policy, History of Western Political Thought, International Security, Non-Governmental Organizations and Civil Society, Demography, Human Development, General Psychology, Psychopathology, Media Literacy, and Theories of International Relations. It was emphasized that universities are obliged to stop teaching the banned subjects, while the conditional ones must be taught “critically and reformatively.” It is worth noting that since the return of the current government to power, numerous restrictions have been imposed on education in the country, with many academic disciplines and subjects either entirely removed or placed under severe limitations. It should also be mentioned that in August 2022, Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, the leader of the current government, ordered the creation of a “Curriculum Review Directorate” to initiate the process of “Islamicization” of academic content. Furthermore, in August 2024, Nature, one of the world’s most prestigious scientific research journals that monitors the state of universities, reported—citing a 78-page document—that some artistic and cultural disciplines, including music and visual arts, are to be removed from university programs in Afghanistan and replaced with agricultural and religious subjects.

The Islamabad High Court has recently announced that foreign women who marry Pakistani citizens are entitled to obtain the country’s nationality. In a statement issued on Tuesday (August 26), the Islamabad High Court said that the cases of three Afghan women who had filed complaints regarding their deportation from Pakistan had been reviewed. It added that the children of these women are also considered Pakistani and family registration certificates have been issued for them. Umer Ijaz Gilani, the defense lawyer representing the complainants in court, stated that foreign women who marry Pakistani citizens are eligible for citizenship. According to him, the children of these women are Pakistani as well. The Supreme Court of Pakistan also postponed the deportation of 18 Afghan nationals with temporary residence cards yesterday. This comes as Pakistan has set September 1 as the deadline for the departure of refugees whose temporary residence cards have expired and will no longer be extended. More than one million Afghan refugees in Pakistan previously held temporary residence cards.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has recently announced that by May 2025, it has provided loans to 981 businesses owned or managed by women in Afghanistan. In a statement published on its X account, the agency said that during this period it has provided loans to a total of 3,623 small and medium-sized enterprises in Afghanistan. The UNDP further emphasized that the total value of these loans amounts to $7.75 million, which has supported 8,790 jobs. It also highlighted that women entrepreneurs represent a significant share of this figure, showing that despite severe social and economic restrictions, they continue to strive to maintain their place in the labor market. According to the statement, the purpose of these initiatives is to strengthen the financial capacity of business owners, create jobs, and increase opportunities for women’s participation in Afghanistan’s economy. It is worth noting that in the past four years, women and girls in Afghanistan have faced widespread restrictions in work and education. Many have lost their formal jobs and turned to small-scale home-based activities. Meanwhile, the caretaker government, after taking power, has banned education for girls beyond grade six. This policy has left millions of female students deprived of schooling. In addition, women have been barred from going to gyms, restaurants, public baths, being examined by male doctors, traveling without a male guardian, and working with domestic and international NGOs, as well as UN offices in Afghanistan.