FIFA, the International Federation of Association Football, has recently announced its approval to form a women’s football team consisting of Afghan refugees. In a statement, FIFA said that the FIFA Council has approved an action strategy for Afghan women’s football, which includes the establishment of the Afghan Women’s Refugee Team (AWRT). The statement noted that FIFA is tasked with organizing and facilitating the formation of this team, and that the team should begin its activities as soon as possible. The statement quoted FIFA President Gianni Infantino as saying that the FIFA Council is committed to giving every girl around the world the opportunity to play football. He described the move as “historic.” This comes after the members of the Afghan national women’s football team fled the country following the return of the current regime to power, and are now living in countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, Albania, Portugal, and the United States. Previously, human rights organizations had called on FIFA to facilitate the return of the Afghan women’s football team to international competition. In its recent meeting, the FIFA Council also decided that the FIFA Women’s World Cup will expand to 48 teams starting in 2031. In this new format, teams will compete in twelve groups, and the number of matches will increase from 64 to 104. The tournament will also be extended by one week compared to previous editions. FIFA stated that the goal of this change is to develop and expand women’s football globally. The Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF), currently under the control of the interim government, has not yet commented on the matter.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has warned that despite minimal economic growth in Afghanistan, the living conditions of the people remain critical, and inequalities—especially for women—are increasing. In a recently published report, the organization stated that Afghanistan experienced a 2.7% growth in GDP in 2023 and 2024; however, this economic recovery remains fragile and has not improved the living conditions for the majority of the population. According to the report, 75% of Afghanistan’s population faced livelihood insecurity last year—a figure that has increased by six percent compared to 2023. The UNDP also emphasized that during this period, access to adequate housing, healthcare services, and essential goods has declined, while economic and climate-related shocks have intensified. The report notes that households headed by women, rural communities, and displaced persons have reported the greatest reductions in income and expenditures. It further reveals that the gender gap has widened more than before, pushing more women into poverty and social isolation. Kanni Wignaraja, Assistant Secretary-General of the UNDP for Asia and the Pacific, stated: "New data shows that people in Afghanistan continue to move along a worrying and difficult path." In another section of the report, the United Nations called for urgent action from the international community to prevent the worsening of economic, social, and gender crises in Afghanistan. Experts say that widespread restrictions on women—including bans on work, education, and social participation—are among the key factors contributing to this heightened vulnerability. This comes as poverty, unemployment, and the need for humanitarian aid have drastically increased following the return to power of the interim government. At the same time, many international aid organizations have repeatedly warned about reduced assistance due to budget shortages, which has further exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in the country.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has recently announced that it needs $451 million to assist those in need in Afghanistan over the next six months. In a statement posted on its X (formerly Twitter) account today (Wednesday, May 7), the WFP said that half of Afghanistan’s population is in need of humanitarian assistance. The statement emphasized: “If Afghanistan had only 100 people, 50 of them would need humanitarian aid.” According to the announcement, Afghanistan has a population of 48 million, and nearly one-third are struggling with poverty and hunger. The WFP added that it requires $451 million over the next six months to support the most vulnerable families. With the suspension of U.S. humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, relief organizations are facing financial challenges. Additionally, according to United Nations statistics, 22.9 million people in Afghanistan will require humanitarian assistance this year, with 16.8 million prioritized for aid. OCHA, the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, has requested a budget of $2.42 billion to assist these individuals. This comes at a time when humanitarian aid to Afghanistan has significantly declined.

Forbes Magazine has warned that under the shadow of a "gender apartheid regime," the mental health of women and girls in Afghanistan has reached a breaking point. In an article criticizing the silence surrounding the situation of Afghan women and girls, the magazine stated that this crisis will not end with silence—rather, it will intensify in silence and claim more lives. Citing human rights organizations, Forbes reported that the rising restrictions imposed on women and girls in Afghanistan have led to an increase in suicide among them. The return of the current government in August 2021 has been accompanied by a gradual revocation of the rights of women and girls. Over the past three years, the government has imposed significant restrictions on every aspect of women's lives, including education, employment, movement in public spaces, and participation in social and political life. The article adds that on May 1, 2025, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported that the current government has enforced decrees aimed at removing women from public life and limiting their freedom of movement. These restrictions have had a profound impact on the physical and mental health of women and girls throughout Afghanistan. According to the 2024 report by the UN Women’s section, 68% of respondents knew at least one woman or girl suffering from anxiety or depression, and 8% said they knew at least one who had attempted suicide. Marsalina Amin, founder of the “Girls Toward Leadership” organization, also warned: “The situation is so dire that even talking about it brings them to tears. They are in a cage—no education, no freedom of movement, no way to express themselves.” Ms. Amin added: “The girls’ dreams—everything they once imagined—have been shattered. They don’t even have the words to describe what they’re going through. Every girl I’ve spoken with is suffering mentally, but she cannot talk about it.” With women’s rights stripped away and international observers lacking access to the country, reporting on the situation in Afghanistan has become extremely difficult.

The "Women Ahead" organization announced that Zakia Khodadadi, a taekwondo athlete from Afghanistan, has been recognized as the "Inspirational Woman" for the year 2024. In a message posted on their Instagram account, the organization introduced a list of seven "inspirational" women and stated: "Following inspirational women can boost the confidence of girls." The "Women Ahead" organization, which is an international organization supporting women, noted that the "courage, resilience, and determination" of these seven women over the past year have been an inspiration for other women and girls. The announcement mentioned that Zakia Khodadadi became the first refugee medalist in the Paris 2024 Paralympics by winning a bronze medal. It further stated that she practiced secretly in Afghanistan, fled the country after the return of the caretaker government, and is now a symbol of resistance. Zakia Khodadadi described this achievement as "honorable" on her Instagram account, stating: "This is not just my voice; it is the voice of all women who fight for freedom and equality." This Afghan taekwondo athlete had previously been included in the BBC's list of 100 Inspirational and Influential Women for the year 2024. Ms. Khodadadi will participate in the Paris 2024 Paralympics and has made history as the first member of the Refugee Paralympic Team to win a medal. Zakia was born without one forearm and secretly practiced taekwondo in a hidden club in her hometown of Herat since she was 11 years old. After the current government regained power in 2021, she missed the opportunity to compete in her first Paralympics in Tokyo. With the intervention of the International Paralympic Committee and support from France, Zakia left Afghanistan and became the first Afghan female athlete to participate in a global sporting event after the takeover of the current government.

The World Food Programme for Afghanistan states that women and girls are the most affected by the humanitarian and medical crisis in Afghanistan. Harald Mohnhart, the Deputy Country Director of the World Food Programme in Afghanistan, announced in a statement that he, along with Takayoshi Kurumiya, the Japanese Ambassador in Kabul, visited a malnutrition treatment center in the capital. The Japanese Ambassador to Afghanistan emphasized that witnessing Afghan mothers and children suffering from malnutrition is "heartbreaking." He added that his country is committed to supporting the citizens of Afghanistan, particularly in the medical sector. The United Nations World Food Programme has stated that nearly one-third of the population in Afghanistan requires urgent food assistance. Additionally, the Deputy Country Director for the World Food Programme in Afghanistan mentioned that the country is experiencing the highest rates of child malnutrition in recent years. Last year, this organization provided nutritional treatment or preventive services to three million children and one million eight hundred thousand pregnant and breastfeeding mothers across the country. According to United Nations statistics, nearly 23 million people in Afghanistan are in need of urgent food assistance. On the other hand, United Nations agencies have repeatedly warned that women and girls are experiencing the greatest harm from the humanitarian crisis due to cultural restrictions and the Taliban.

UNAMA, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, has stated on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day that free and independent media in the country are deteriorating. In a statement released today (Saturday, May 3), UNAMA said: "Challenges facing the media—from restrictions imposed by the de facto authorities to economic and financial difficulties—have seriously endangered the public's access to vital information." Roza Otunbayeva, the head of UNAMA, emphasized in the statement: "A diverse and healthy media sector is essential for transparency, public trust, and good governance. However, in Afghanistan, we are witnessing a gradual erosion of free and independent media." She warned that journalists are at risk of arrest, torture, and imprisonment. The UNAMA chief added that female journalists, in particular, face disproportionate risks and obstacles. She stressed: "World Press Freedom Day is a reminder of the important role journalists and media play in Afghanistan. Media are the foundation of an informed and dynamic society, and their role must be protected." The statement further read: "Due to Afghanistan’s economic crisis, media outlets in the country have been severely affected by a sharp decline in revenue, leading to the closure of numerous outlets. Additionally, broad restrictions imposed by the authorities have resulted in media professionals facing threats, arrests, torture, and mistreatment, with women journalists particularly affected by these dangers and barriers." Meanwhile, Reporters Without Borders published a report yesterday on the state of press freedom globally, placing Afghanistan at 175th out of 180 countries. Ahead of World Press Freedom Day (May 3), the Afghanistan Journalists Center also expressed concern over increased restrictions on media freedom and the detention of journalists, stating that media freedom under the interim government has been seriously disrupted.

On the eve of World Press Freedom Day (May 3), the Afghanistan Journalists Center has expressed concern over the growing restrictions on media freedom and the arrest of journalists in the country, stating that media freedom under the caretaker government has been seriously disrupted. In a published report, the Center said its findings show that from May 2024 until now, at least 215 cases of violations against media freedom have been recorded, including 175 instances of direct and indirect threats and 40 arrests of journalists. The report states that this figure shows a 58% increase compared to the previous period (May 2023 to May 2024). The Center emphasized that among the detained journalists, 10 remain in prison, and seven of them have been sentenced to between seven months and three years in prison. According to the report, the current government has issued and implemented seven new directives over the past year, targeting a wide range of media activities. These directives include bans on publishing images of living beings, cooperating with exiled media outlets, broadcasting live political and economic programs or roundtables, criticizing or challenging Taliban policies and officials, the presence of unapproved experts, and the operation of women-focused media in some provinces. The Journalists Center also noted that one of the factors worsening the state of media freedom over the past 12 months has been the increasing role and interference of the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in media affairs. The Center added that this ministry has gained extensive authority to monitor and control media activities and has played a direct role in shutting down or punishing media outlets that disobey its directives, including through threats and arrests of journalists. According to the report, following the expansion of the ban on publishing images of living beings, 25 television stations have been shut down or converted into radio stations over the past year, while nine radio stations were temporarily closed and one was permanently shut down. Based on Article 17 of the Law on the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, ratified by Hibatullah Akhundzada in August last year, publishing images of living beings has been officially prohibited. This ban has so far been enforced in 17 provinces. According to the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, Afghanistan ranks 175th with a score of 17.88, improving slightly from 178th place in 2024. Reporters Without Borders, which published the rankings, stated that in 2024, at least 12 media outlets were forced to shut down due to mounting restrictions.

Gisu Yari, a women's rights activist and former commissioner of Afghanistan's Administrative and Civil Service Reform Commission, has been awarded the "Recent Alumni Award" for 2025 from Columbia University. Gisu Yari, who holds a PhD in Middle Eastern Studies, Gender, and Human Rights, received this award in recognition of her human rights efforts and civil activism on Monday, April 28, from the faculty of Columbia University. The award was presented to Ms. Yari during a ceremony at Columbia University's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. In her speech, Ms. Yari stated that Afghanistan has been under gender apartheid for more than three and a half years. She pointed out the severe restrictions imposed by the current interim government on the rights and freedoms of women and girls, stating that the current regime has initiated a systematic war against the women of the country. She added that the current government has issued over 130 decrees depriving women of their freedoms, participation in society, dignity, and rights. In her address, this women's rights activist mentioned that women and girls in Afghanistan continue to speak out, resist, and document their experiences even in exile. Ms. Yari emphasized that Afghan women and girls will no longer remain silent and cannot replace their values with comfort or ease. She further noted that the work of women and girls and what is happening in Afghanistan is often overlooked. Ms. Yari stressed that what is happening in Afghanistan should not be forgotten. The Recent Alumni Award from Columbia University is given to students who have made outstanding contributions in defending human rights.