The “WASA Afghanistan” Institute recently announced that, in cooperation with the UN Women section, it has provided cash assistance to 100 Afghan women entrepreneurs. In a post on its official Facebook page, the organization stated that each of these women received 26,500 Afghanis in cash support. It further mentioned that this financial assistance helps women entrepreneurs equip and expand their small businesses. WASA emphasized that the employment of women and girls in communities leads to financial independence, self-confidence, and more active participation in society. The statement also highlighted the importance of women's empowerment and its role in society: “We believe that when women thrive, a stronger society is built. Empowering women is not just a goal; it is the path to building a brighter, more inclusive, and fairer future for all.” WASA Afghanistan added that it has been working in the field of women’s empowerment and promoting social change in Afghanistan for over 23 years and will continue its efforts in education, capacity building, and support for women and girls. It is worth noting that these projects are being implemented at a time when women and girls in Afghanistan are banned from working in formal jobs and are only allowed to work in limited sectors, such as personal businesses. Over the past four years, as the professional environment has become increasingly restricted, some institutions and organizations have tried to provide women with employment and income opportunities through the few remaining available channels. The United Nations has also warned that Afghanistan is facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, and the ban on women’s employment is considered one of the main contributors to the country’s economic collapse.

Asia Platform has recently warned that over one million Afghan migrants who have returned from Pakistan in recent months are at risk of secondary displacement and a humanitarian crisis if immediate support is not provided. The organization stated in a press release that returnees from neighboring countries, particularly Pakistan, are primarily entering a country that is already grappling with widespread poverty, economic collapse, and severe resource shortages. The statement read: "Afghanistan has previously experienced the largest internal displacement crisis in Asia. Now, with the wave of forced returns, it is undergoing one of the largest demographic changes in recent years." Asia Platform has warned that the lack of land, shelter, legal documentation, job opportunities, and educational and healthcare services for returnees will lead to a humanitarian disaster and further unrest. The organization has also called on all countries, relevant institutions, and organizations to adhere to the principles of voluntary, safe, and dignified return, and to support the rights of refugees and returnees with a coordinated regional response. Pakistan, which has long hosted one of the largest populations of refugees from Afghanistan, has decided to expel undocumented migrants amid deteriorating bilateral relations with the current government and increasing security concerns. However, internal political and economic challenges, with long-term impacts on social stability, have created further difficulties for returning migrants and Afghan society. It should be noted that Pakistan has been implementing the second phase of forced expulsions of Afghan migrants for nearly two months, during which thousands of Afghan citizens have been forcibly returned to Afghanistan. In this context, returning migrants also speak of being subjected to mistreatment, abuse, and violations of human values by the Pakistani police.

The Afghanistan Journalists Support Organization (AJSO) has condemned the mass dismissal of over 300 employees from the "National Radio and Television," including 90 female employees and journalists. In a statement published on its X account, the organization stated that this action by the interim government is another step in the direction of suppressing media freedom and systematically eliminating women from public spaces, especially in the media. The statement noted that this action by the current government not only shows a blatant disrespect for the experience and efforts of the employees but also causes irreparable damage to the media structure and the future of independent information dissemination in Afghanistan. The journalists' support organization stated: "We consider this action as part of a systematic policy to eliminate women from the workforce and society; a policy that has previously been implemented in the ministries of education, higher education, agriculture, and other government institutions." The statement further mentioned: "The current government's leadership decision to reduce government employees by 20 percent, without considering its human, social, and economic consequences, will deepen the crisis in the country." It is worth noting that in recent days, the current government has dismissed around 300 employees and journalists, including female journalists and employees from the central office and provincial offices of "National Radio and Television." It should be noted that the process of downsizing government positions has started over the past month, resulting in hundreds of employees being dismissed from government institutions. According to this decision, approximately 90,000 positions have been eliminated solely from the Ministry of Education. The Afghanistan Journalists Support Organization has called on the international community, human rights organizations, and advocates for media freedom to use political and diplomatic pressure tools to compel the current government to stop the arbitrary dismissals of media employees, especially women.

Myung Park, the head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for Afghanistan, recently stated that half of the population of this country relies on humanitarian assistance to survive. The IOM chief made these remarks at the "Fourth Humanitarian Forum of the European Union" in Brussels, emphasizing the need for protection and the provision of vital services at Afghanistan's borders and crossings. He further stressed that the ongoing forced returns of Afghan migrants from Iran and Pakistan are exacerbating the problems for families and communities, with half of the country's population dependent on humanitarian aid for survival. It is noteworthy that the Fourth Humanitarian Forum, or "European Humanitarian Forum" (EHF), focused on Afghanistan, began on Monday and continues today. According to available information, the main focus of this meeting is "the root causes of the crisis in Afghanistan and strengthening regional cooperation for innovative and sustainable solutions." This meeting is co-hosted by the European Commission and Poland, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council, and is taking place in Brussels, the capital of Belgium. It is important to mention that with the cessation 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 are in need of humanitarian assistance this year, with 16.8 million prioritized for aid. OCHA, or the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, has requested a budget of $2.42 billion to assist these individuals. Meanwhile, humanitarian aid to Afghanistan has sharply decreased, and many humanitarian organizations have halted their operations in the country. The World Food Programme also reports that last year it provided emergency food and cash assistance to nearly 12 million people in Afghanistan, prioritizing aid for women and girls facing "severe hunger."

UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, says that one third of children in Afghanistan are deprived of education, and 60% of them are girls. In a message posted today (Wednesday, May 21) on its X (formerly Twitter) account, UNICEF stated that with the support of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank in Afghanistan, it supports more than 10,000 community-based education classes, including over 1,500 accelerated learning centers. According to the statement, these classes have provided educational opportunities for over 300,000 children across Afghanistan, more than two-thirds of whom are girls. The statement also mentions that the German Committee for UNICEF supports the education of adolescent girls in Afghanistan through 148 accelerated learning centers and has facilitated education for an additional 2,200 adolescent girls in the northern and central regions of the country. The Children's Fund considers education a right for every child and emphasizes that education equips children with essential skills for growth, development, and making informed life decisions. UNICEF quoted one student saying, “If this class hadn't been established in my village, I would have been forced to marry.” She adds, “With each passing day, I get one step closer to my dream.” This international organization also stated that in 2024, it supported 18,000 community-based education classes in Afghanistan, providing education for 564,000 children. According to the statement, 5,500 female teachers were trained last year. UNICEF added that in addition to providing education and distributing learning materials, it also reconstructs damaged schools across the country. This emphasis on girls' and boys' education by UNICEF comes while the de facto government has banned girls’ education beyond grade six since returning to power. It has been over 1,337 days since schools have been closed to them. Previously, the current government had also shut down several UNICEF-supported accelerated learning classes for girls in various provinces.

André Saberton, the Executive Deputy Director of the UN Population Fund for Afghanistan, has warned that every two hours, a mother in the country loses her life due to preventable complications related to pregnancy. Mr. Saberton made these remarks at a meeting in New York, stating that the reduction in humanitarian aid funding for Afghanistan means "losing lives and lives less lived." He emphasized that during his visit, he observed UN-supported services in Kabul, Bamiyan, and along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. André Saberton referred to a $330 million budget cut for the UN Population Fund globally, adding that $102 million of this amount will directly impact the agency's activities in Afghanistan. The Executive Deputy Director of the UN Population Fund for Afghanistan clarified that most of this budget was intended for family health and mobile care services, both of which are essential in Afghanistan, currently facing one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. This UN official estimated that 6.9 million women and children in Afghanistan will be affected by this budget cut, and the UN Population Fund will only be able to support 400 out of 900 health centers. According to him, despite these challenges, the UN Population Fund will remain in Afghanistan and continue to provide lifesaving care to those in need. Additionally, the Ministry of Public Health of the interim government issued a statement rejecting the remarks of the UNFPA deputy and stated that these claims are unrealistic and that the statistics provided by this agency lack accurate evidence and are unfair. The ministry noted that since the current government's takeover, special attention has been given to maternal and child health in the country.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has recently announced that thousands of Afghan citizens have been forced to leave Pakistan, and most of the returning women and children are vulnerable. In a message posted today (Monday, May 19) on its X (formerly Twitter) account, the IOM stated that its teams are present on the ground, providing food aid, cash assistance, health services, psychosocial support, and protection services. The statement adds that half of the returnees depend on humanitarian aid. Moreover, the IOM stated last Wednesday that over the past month, 128,000 Afghans have returned from Pakistan to their homeland. This comes as, according to Bakhtar News Agency, which is under the control of the interim government, 378 Afghan families returned from Pakistan and Iran on Friday. Pakistan, which has long hosted one of the largest populations of Afghan refugees, has decided to expel undocumented migrants amid deteriorating bilateral relations with the current Afghan government and increasing security concerns. However, domestic political and economic challenges, with long-term impacts on social stability, have added further difficulties for returning migrants and Afghan society. It should be noted that Pakistan has initiated the second phase of forced deportations of Afghan migrants for nearly two months now, during which thousands of Afghan citizens have been forcibly returned to Afghanistan. Meanwhile, returning migrants have also spoken of mistreatment, abuse, and inhumane behavior by Pakistani police.

Nader Yar Ahmadi, head of the Center for Foreign Nationals and Immigrants Affairs at the Ministry of Interior of the Islamic Republic, stated that the presence of Afghan migrants in Iran should be limited, and that even those who have been in Iran for 40 years are not considered refugees. Mr. Yar Ahmadi made these remarks during the inauguration ceremony of the Foreign Nationals Organization Center in Kerman, where he discussed the population of Afghan migrants. This Iranian official claimed that the norm worldwide is that foreign migrants constitute 3% of a country's population, saying, "We are compared to Germany and the United States, but based on the 3%, we should not have more than 2.7 million foreign nationals." Nader Yar Ahmadi emphasized that in Kerman, based on the province's population, the number of Afghan migrants should not exceed 100,000. At the same time, Iskander Momeni, the Minister of Interior of the Islamic Republic, stated that Iran does not have the capacity to accept migrants and that the government's main priority is to expel around two million undocumented migrants. Mr. Momeni added that these individuals occupy job opportunities and that significant subsidies are currently being allocated to migrants. This Iranian official stated that they should return to Afghanistan and rebuild their country. This comes as Iran has intensified the expulsion of undocumented Afghan migrants. It is also worth mentioning that Pakistan has expelled over one million undocumented Afghan migrants in the past 18 months. The ongoing expulsion of Afghan migrants from neighboring countries continues amid a lack of job opportunities and imposed restrictions, which have compelled Afghan citizens to migrate. It is important to note that following the current government's takeover of Afghanistan, a large number of civil activists, human rights defenders, women's rights advocates, journalists, sexual minorities, former military personnel, and Afghans who collaborated with foreign forces in Afghanistan have fled to Pakistan and Iran due to fears of retaliation or to process their asylum requests in European and American countries, with some still waiting for their asylum applications to be processed.

UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, has recently announced that it is helping Afghan girls and women gain access to education and realize their potential. Tajuddin Eiwaleh, UNICEF Representative in Afghanistan, wrote on his X account that the organization, in cooperation with the European Union, has provided education and employment opportunities for a number of girls in northern Afghanistan. He emphasized: “I met girls who are learning new skills and creating hope for a brighter future.” It is worth noting that for more than three years, Afghan women and girls have been deprived of their most basic rights, including education and employment. The current government's policies have led to millions of schoolgirls being denied access to 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 both domestic and international NGOs, as well as UN offices in Afghanistan. In this situation, activities such as handicrafts, tailoring, and limited home-based work are among the few options still available to them. UNICEF and several international organizations are trying to use these limited opportunities to empower Afghan women and girls.

An art exhibition titled "Naqsh-e-Hari" showcasing 60 works, including paintings, miniatures, and calligraphy created by women, was held in the city of Herat. Abdul Qadeer Aslamzada, the organizer of the exhibition, stated that the event was held for three days with the aim of supporting artists and creating a market for the sale of their artworks. Mr. Aslamzada emphasized that 60 pieces were exhibited, around 40 of which were created by women. The exhibition was open to women visitors specifically on Wednesday and Thursday. Meanwhile, artists consider the organization of such exhibitions beneficial for drawing public attention to the art of painting and creating opportunities for selling their works. At the same time, Mawlawi Hamidullah Ghayasi, Head of Culture and Arts at the Herat Department of Information and Culture, said that the department is committed to supporting artists and is working to create opportunities for the sale of their artworks by organizing various exhibitions. He added that in this regard, a permanent exhibition of artworks has been established at the Ikhtiyaruddin Castle in Herat province. The paintings displayed at this exhibition reflect the passion, emotion, and creativity of women who, despite facing numerous challenges, have chosen the path of art. Visitors to the exhibition also expressed their satisfaction with the event, emphasizing: “These paintings are not just artworks; they are stories of pain, hope, and beauty that deserve a place in every home, office, and workplace.” They further stressed: “This art is the voice of Afghan girls—and it must be heard.” This comes at a time when, since the rise of the current caretaker government, numerous restrictions have been imposed on artists, leading some to abandon their artistic pursuits. These artworks were displayed despite the fact that for more than three years, the government has imposed severe restrictions on girls and women. Currently, girls and women are barred from attending school and university. As a result of the current government's actions, millions of school-aged girls have been deprived of education. Additionally, women have been banned from going to gyms, restaurants, public baths, being examined by male doctors, traveling without a male guardian, and working in both national and international NGOs, as well as even in United Nations offices in Afghanistan.