OCHA, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for Afghanistan, has warned that severe restrictions against women and girls are causing an increase in child marriage rates, gender-based violence, and child labor. In a report published on its website, the organization stated that the harsh restrictions imposed on the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan have exacerbated existing vulnerabilities. The report from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs indicates that the implementation of restrictions against women and girls in Afghanistan has intensified the situation for those who are currently enduring the greatest crisis. The organization also noted a decrease in humanitarian funding, stating that by mid-2025, the humanitarian needs and response plan for Afghanistan is only 18% funded. The report mentions that currently, more than 420 health centers across Afghanistan have closed, halting access to primary health care for three million people. This international organization has warned about the continuation of this trend, emphasizing that nearly 300 nutrition centers have shut down, leading to the cessation of lifesaving treatment for 80,000 malnourished children and mothers. Furthermore, it states that the reduction in funding has disrupted assistance for millions across the country, including women and girls, displaced communities, children, returnees, and other vulnerable groups. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs added that services for 3.3 million people, including children and individuals with disabilities, are no longer available. OCHA has called on donors and financial supporters to increase flexible and timely funding for the response plan and humanitarian needs in Afghanistan.

OCHA, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for Afghanistan, has warned that severe restrictions against women and girls are causing an increase in child marriage rates, gender-based violence, and child labor. In a report published on its website, the organization stated that the harsh restrictions imposed on the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan have exacerbated existing vulnerabilities. The report from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs indicates that the implementation of restrictions against women and girls in Afghanistan has intensified the situation for those who are currently enduring the greatest crisis. The organization also noted a decrease in humanitarian funding, stating that by mid-2025, the humanitarian needs and response plan for Afghanistan is only 18% funded. The report mentions that currently, more than 420 health centers across Afghanistan have closed, halting access to primary health care for three million people. This international organization has warned about the continuation of this trend, emphasizing that nearly 300 nutrition centers have shut down, leading to the cessation of lifesaving treatment for 80,000 malnourished children and mothers. Furthermore, it states that the reduction in funding has disrupted assistance for millions across the country, including women and girls, displaced communities, children, returnees, and other vulnerable groups. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs added that services for 3.3 million people, including children and individuals with disabilities, are no longer available. OCHA has called on donors and financial supporters to increase flexible and timely funding for the response plan and humanitarian needs in Afghanistan.

The United Nations Women’s Section states that eight out of ten young women across Afghanistan are deprived of their right to access education, schooling, and employment. Today (Tuesday, June 27), this organization published the Gender Index Report for Afghanistan for the year 2024, indicating that following the return of the caretaker government to power, Afghan women have significantly fallen behind global standards of human development. The report mentions that Afghanistan has the second-largest gender gap in the world, with a 76% disparity between the achievements of women and men in the areas of health, education, financial participation, and decision-making. It is noted in the report that Afghan women, on average, only realize 17% of their full potential to choose and access opportunities, while women worldwide achieve 60.7%. The UN Women’s Section emphasizes that Afghanistan still has one of the largest gender gaps in the workforce globally. The organization adds that Afghan women are more likely to work at home and in low-paying, insecure jobs. According to the report, 74% of women spend significant time doing housework, while this figure is only 3% for men. The Gender Index Report for Afghanistan in 2024 states that there is currently zero female representation in the cabinet of the government, which hinders women's ability to shape and implement policies and laws. The UN Women’s Section states that despite being nearly excluded from public and political life, Afghan women continue to seek an inclusive government and find ways to voice their demands and concerns to the Taliban. This organization asserts that Afghan women and girls have the right to political participation and to live with dignity, just like the men in the country. The report quotes Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women, saying: “The potential of women and girls in Afghanistan remains untapped. They support each other, run businesses, provide humanitarian aid, and speak out against injustice.”

UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund for Afghanistan, has announced the launch of the "First Food of Afghanistan" program to prevent a food crisis in the country. In a statement published on its X account, the organization noted that 90% of children in Afghanistan live with food insecurity, with half of them facing "severe food insecurity." UNICEF emphasized that the goal of this program is to improve the nutritional regime of children under two years old through transformation in food and nutrition systems. The statement mentioned that this program is set to cover 1.7 million children across Afghanistan. The United Nations Children's Fund for Afghanistan added that the First Food of Afghanistan program encourages people to provide local and nutritious supplementary foods for their young children as much as they can. The statement quoted Dr. Tajuddin Owyali, UNICEF's representative in Afghanistan, saying that children in Afghanistan are not only suffering from malnutrition but are also "chronically" deprived of the most basic elements of growth. Mr. Owyali warned, "Half of the children in Afghanistan consume only two out of eight essential food types daily, which puts them at high risk of malnutrition and even death." According to reports, by the year 2025, 1.5 million young children in Afghanistan are expected to suffer from severe wasting, with 1.4 million of them at high risk of mortality, and 85% of these are children under two years old. UNICEF states that more than 33% of children trapped in severe food insecurity are at risk of stunting and developmental delays. Additionally, the United Nations Children's Fund mentioned in its statement that Afghanistan ranks fourth among countries facing the highest rates of severe food insecurity among children.

UN agencies have issued a joint call for immediate, coordinated, and multi-sectoral actions regarding nutrition in Afghanistan to combat the crisis of malnutrition affecting women and children. The statement highlights that Afghanistan is at a critical juncture in its fight against malnutrition among women and children, and immediate actions with support at global, national, and local levels are essential to save lives and mitigate the devastating effects of this ongoing crisis. The announcement states that this call has been jointly issued by UNICEF, the World Health Organization, the World Food Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the United Nations Population Fund. The issuers of this call provide a roadmap to strengthen the supportive environment for designing and implementing comprehensive food and nutrition policies aimed at preventing wasting, stunting, and other forms of malnutrition. The goal is to ensure early access to preventive services, integrated management of acute malnutrition, and improved access to healthy and nutritious diets. Additionally, these organizations emphasize the need for the food, health, social protection, water, sanitation, and education sectors to become more sensitive and accountable to nutritional outcomes among children and women. The call states that achieving these goals requires strengthening governance structures in the nutrition sector, including effective leadership, multi-sectoral coordination, a specialized workforce in nutrition, and generating strong evidence to inform policies and programs. UN agencies have indicated that Afghanistan is among the 15 countries in the world with the highest rates of severe child malnutrition, with over 3.5 million children under five currently suffering from acute malnutrition, of which 1.4 million are at risk of death. Furthermore, the call mentions that four out of ten women in Afghanistan are malnourished and are often overlooked in responses to this crisis. According to the UN agencies' call, nine out of ten young children in Afghanistan are experiencing "child food poverty" and lack access to the necessary dietary diversity for their growth and development. The UN agencies have reported that high levels of food insecurity, primarily caused by a fragile economy and environmental disasters such as drought, have left 9.8 million people in a state of acute food insecurity. The call quotes Edwin Sienaza Salvador, WHO representative in Afghanistan, stating: "Malnutrition is not just a health issue; it is a cycle that spans generations. When mothers are malnourished, there is a higher likelihood of low birth weight babies, which increases the risk of inadequate growth and developmental issues during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood." He added: "Breaking this cycle requires an active approach that focuses on both prevention and treatment at every stage of life." Following the cessation of U.S. financial aid and the reduction of humanitarian assistance from other countries, UN agencies have repeatedly warned of increasing malnutrition in Afghanistan.

Richard Bennett, the UN Human Rights Council's Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan, has warned that the human rights situation in Afghanistan, particularly for women and girls, continues to deteriorate, and the international community must not remain indifferent to it. In an article published on its website, the UN Human Rights Council stated that Mr. Bennett has called on countries to establish a comprehensive and independent mechanism for documenting, legally pursuing, and supporting justice for victims of human rights violations, especially gender-based violence. The report, which is set to be reviewed at the UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva next week, emphasizes that women and girls in Afghanistan face "systematic and multilayered discrimination." The report focuses on issues such as the ban on education, work restrictions, limitations on movement and social participation, as well as the use of judicial institutions to suppress women. In his report, Richard Bennett noted that the current judicial system in Afghanistan has become a tool for silencing women's voices rather than protecting their rights. In many cases, women who are victims of violence not only receive no support but also face punishment. The Human Rights Council's rapporteur has called for the establishment of an international accountability mechanism that can document evidence of human rights violations, including "gender crimes," and create cases for the legal prosecution of perpetrators. According to Bennett, this action could assist judicial processes in the International Criminal Court (ICC), the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and countries with universal jurisdiction. This report is presented to the Human Rights Council at a time when women and girls have been deprived of their rights for nearly four years. While this organization criticizes the restrictions on Afghan women, it has been over 900 days since the caretaker government closed the doors of private and public universities to girls in the country. Additionally, schools have also been closed to girls above the sixth grade. This action by the current government has left millions of female students without access to education. Furthermore, women are prohibited from going to sports clubs, restaurants, public baths, being examined by male doctors, traveling without a male guardian, and working in domestic and international NGOs, as well as even in UN offices in Afghanistan. Amidst this situation, activities such as handicrafts, sewing, and limited home-based work remain some of the few options available to them. UNICEF and several international organizations are striving to create opportunities for empowering women and girls in Afghanistan through these limited avenues.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has recently warned that Afghan women returning to their homeland are facing severe restrictions and an unequal environment. In a visual report shared on its X account, the agency stated that tens of thousands of Afghan migrants have returned to their country, mostly empty-handed and without resources. The report highlights that women and girls are returning to Afghanistan under particularly difficult living conditions. The UN High Commissioner emphasized that women and children are the most vulnerable groups among returnees. Quoting Asma, a mother of two daughters and one of the returnees, the report mentioned her concerns about her daughters' future under the caretaker government. Asma added, "I fear my daughters will be deprived of education. To build a future, they need books, pens, and education. Now, I don't know how we will continue our lives." The organization also expressed concern over the dire humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, stating that as tens of thousands of migrants are being returned from host countries, nearly half of the population of this country is in need of humanitarian assistance. This warning comes as neighboring countries, particularly Pakistan and Iran, have intensified the expulsion of Afghan migrants in recent months. Previously, human rights organizations and women's rights activists have repeatedly expressed concern over the forced return of women and girls to Afghanistan.

Khalid Hanafi, the acting head of the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice under the caretaker government, has recently prohibited his agents from intruding into citizens’ personal mobile phones or pockets. Mr. Hanafi made these remarks during a seminar on how to implement “accountability” during the Eid holidays. He stated: "The blessed religion of Islam does not permit any violation of personal privacy. Therefore, without a person’s permission, it is not permissible to reach into their mobile phone, pocket, or home." He emphasized to the agents of the ministry that "they have been chosen to implement the Islamic system." The minister called on his agents to "pay attention to their responsibilities and carry out their duties in a manner that sets a guiding example for society." It is worth noting that the agents of the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice currently monitor citizens' clothing, appearance, and behavior. Citizens have frequently complained about these agents’ conduct, accusing them of violating their privacy and personal freedoms. The "Law on the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice," ratified by the caretaker government in Asad (August) of last year, has imposed extensive restrictions on both public and private life. Additionally, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has stated that under this law, Afghan citizens are treated as “subjects under control” rather than as citizens with defined rights.

UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, has announced that four million children in Afghanistan are deprived of schooling due to the lack of adequate educational infrastructure, clean drinking water, and especially a shortage of teachers — most notably female teachers. In a report published today (Monday, June 2), the organization stated that children often drop out of school due to economic hardships and, in some cases, are forced into child labor to help support their families. UNICEF emphasized that it is placing greater focus on recruiting female teachers, as families culturally consider this a more suitable option for their children. The report notes that a number of teachers, supported by the organization, are striving to use creative methods to increase the attendance of girls below sixth grade in Afghanistan. The UN children’s agency stressed that currently four million children in Afghanistan do not have access to education. Part of the report highlights that, to reduce this deprivation and improve the quality of education, UNICEF — with financial support from the governments of Japan and South Korea — has trained dozens of female teachers in several provinces. The report also shares the story of a female teacher who, after participating in a UNICEF-supported training program, was able to attract more students to school through games and group activities. Lima Azizi, a third-grade teacher at Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq High School, stated that in the past month, student attendance in her school’s classes has increased by five percent. Previously, UNICEF reported that one in three children in Afghanistan is out of school, with around 60 percent of those being girls. This report is being released while, due to the policies of Afghanistan's caretaker government, girls above sixth grade have been denied access to education for the fourth consecutive year. Earlier, Amnesty International had reported that since the ban on girls' education above the sixth grade, approximately 3.5 million girls have been deprived of schooling.