Category: Afghanistan

The Taliban, who have taken back control of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021,, have closed universities to female students and prohibited them from attending schools beyond the sixth grade…reports Asian Lite News

Amid restrictions imposed on women, and girls in Afghanistan under the Taliban, the United Nations has said that the country has become a “graveyard of girls’ hopes”, reported TOLOnews.

Emphasising its support for Afghan girls in their struggle for the right to an education in spite of the ban, the UN Women’s section highlights the tenacity of Afghan girls in the face of educational prohibitions on the occasion of International Day of Girls in ICT on Thursday .

Every year the fourth Thursday of April is celebrated as the International Day of Girls in ICT (Information and Communications Technology) to honour the leadership, involvement, and empowerment of women in the field, according to TOLOnews.

The Taliban, who have taken back control of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021,, have closed universities to female students and prohibited them from attending schools beyond the sixth grade. The Taliban continues to enforce the prohibition on girls attending school, even in the face of national and international criticism.

The Taliban have also prohibited women to work, which has gotten worse for the nation’s human and women’s rights.

More than two and a half years have passed and the Taliban has yet to make any new statements regarding the reopening of schools for girls above sixth grade. As the Taliban solidifies its control over Afghanistan, the humanitarian crisis in the country has worsened.

With infrastructure crumbling and essential services disrupted, millions are at risk of starvation and disease. Humanitarian organisations struggle to provide aid amidst security concerns and logistical challenges.

The ban on girls’ schools since the Taliban takeover has led to a generation of girls deprived of education, perpetuating cycles of poverty and inequality.

Karzai reiterates calls

Former President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai has said that the education of girls is a “vital issue” for Afghanistan, as the basic rights of the females in the country are curtailed under the Taliban regime, according to Khaama Press.

During a discussion with Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran’s ambassador and special representative, Karzai stressed the value of girls’ education.

Nevertheless, harsh limitations still exist in Afghanistan, especially with regard to women’s rights, in spite of these talks about education and regional stability. Beyond the sixth grade, women face significant barriers to education that limit their access to higher education and chances for personal development.

Furthermore, restrictive rules limit women’s access to the workforce, robbing them of financial independence and their capacity to fully participate in society, according to Khaama Press.

These limitations impede Afghanistan’s efforts to become a more inclusive and equitable society while also perpetuating gender inequity.

Furthermore, there are growing restrictions on Afghanistan’s freedom of expression and access to free media, which hinders the spread of opposing viewpoints and important information. (ANI)

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According to the 2023 Global Hunger Index, Afghanistan ranked 114th among 125 countries with sufficient data to calculate the index scores…reports Asian Lite News

An estimated 15.8 million people in war-ravaged Afghanistan will experience crisis and emergency levels of food insecurity in 2024, said a United Nations (UN) report released on Thursday.

According to the 2023 UN Afghanistan Annual Results Report, the majority of Afghanistan’s population is unable to procure basic needs such as healthcare, food, livelihood and housing, Xinhua news agency reported.

“As 2023 began, families across Afghanistan continued to struggle to feed their children. Nine out of 10 people were not consuming an adequate amount of food, the cost of which absorbed an overwhelming 89 per cent of household incomes,” it said.

According to the 2023 Global Hunger Index, Afghanistan ranked 114th among 125 countries with sufficient data to calculate the index scores.

War-torn Afghanistan with a population of about 40 million has been facing poverty and economic hardships since the withdrawal of US-led forces in August 2021.

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Humanitarian activities in this province are ongoing, according to the UN’s Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Office, but immediate action is required….reports Asian Lite News

The United Nations Coordination Office for Humanitarian Assistance has announced that 24,800 Herati families impacted by the earthquake are residing in makeshift shelters like tents, reported Khaama Press.

In a statement posted on its social media site X, the UN-affiliated organisation stressed that the families residing in Herat, and who are severely impacted by the disaster should not be forgotten, and must be helped with basic amenities.

Citing the UN office’s records, Khaama Press reported that the earthquakes in Herat impacted 2,75,000 people and destroyed 40,000 houses.

Humanitarian activities in this province are ongoing, according to the UN’s Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Office, but immediate action is required.

In the consecutive earthquakes in Herat, hundreds of people, especially children and women, have lost their lives.

Earthquake survivors in this province are still in need of assistance six months after the deadly earthquakes that rattled the Afghan province, but because of the Taliban’s control, international nations are reluctant to actively support those in need, reported Khaama Press.

The Red Cross Committee had earlier stressed the critical need for secure and warm accommodation for earthquake victims in Herat.

However, some Herat locals claim that the Taliban and UN agencies have not sufficiently reported on the aid that other nations and international organisations have given to the earthquake victims in Herat.

280 schools damaged

Recent seismic activity in Herat has left a devastating mark on the province’s education infrastructure, with over 280 schools reported damaged by the earthquakes that struck in recent months, TOLO News reported.

The Herat Education Department confirms that many of these educational facilities are now rendered unusable, highlighting the urgent need for reconstruction efforts.

Rahmatullah Jabir, head of the Herat Education Department, provided insight into the ongoing challenges, stating that international organisations and the government have already stepped in to rebuild more than eighty schools in earthquake-affected villages. However, the task ahead remains daunting as approximately 400 schools require repair, with a staggering 286 schools forced to close their doors due to the seismic aftermath, according to TOLO News.

The impact of the earthquakes has been acutely felt by students and teachers alike. Most classrooms suffered severe damage during the tremors, leading to the suspension of teaching activities amidst fears of structural collapse.

Marwa Nouri, a student, expressed the prevailing anxiety among her peers, stating, “When we go into the classroom, we are very afraid that something might fall on us, and our school is completely destroyed, so we are unable to study.”

Ayesha Qasemi echoed similar sentiments, emphasising the urgent need for school reconstruction: “Our school should be repaired so that we can continue our studies and our school is not broken.”

Teachers also underscored the adverse effects of the damaged infrastructure on the learning environment. Mohammad Ismail Firouz highlighted the importance of a conducive setting for effective education, noting, “If children are constantly worried that the classroom might collapse, proper education cannot take place.”

Moreover, Ahmad Farhad Rafahi pointed out the reluctance of parents to send their children to school amidst safety concerns, adding to the educational disruption caused by the earthquakes.

Despite these challenges, the Herat Education Department reports that over 1,400 schools are currently operational in the province. However, many of these institutions lack adequate buildings, leaving students exposed to harsh weather conditions as they continue their education under makeshift arrangements such as tents or open spaces, TOLO News reported. (ANI)

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Pakistan reportedly plans to begin the second phase of its expulsion of Afghan migrants from April 10 after having driven 5,35,000 of them out of the nation since November last year….reports Asian Lite News

Taliban’s acting minister of Refugees and Repatriation Affairs has urged Pakistan to resolve the Afghan migrants’ issue within the framework of bilateral understanding, Khaama Press reported on Friday.

Pakistan reportedly plans to begin the second phase of its expulsion of Afghan migrants from April 10 after having driven 5,35,000 of them out of the nation since November last year.

According to the newsletter of the Afghan-Taliban Ministry of Migrants, Abdul Rahman Rashid, a deputy of this ministry, raised this request on Thursday in a meeting with Junaid Waziri, the Charge d’Affaires of the Pakistani Embassy in Kabul.

Diplomats from Pakistan have been informed by Rashid that decisions pertaining to immigration are bilateral in nature and should be decided in accordance with the two nations’ mutual agreement.

At a recent iftar event held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul, which was attended by ambassadors and representatives of various nations, Abdul Salam Hanafi, Deputy Prime Minister of the Taliban, declared that over a million Afghan migrants had been forcibly and voluntarily removed from neighbouring countries.

Recently, Amnesty International has called for an ‘immediate cancellation’ of a plan to expel the Afghan migrants from Pakistan and stated that it violates international human rights laws.

The plan of expulsion of Afghan refugees, according to a statement made by one of the organization’s activists for refugees and migrants, breaches international human rights laws, international refugee laws, and all international conventions.

“The Pakistan authorities’ callous disregard for the persecution, serious human rights violations and humanitarian catastrophe that await Afghan refugees if deported to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan is heart-breaking. Instead of heeding repeated global calls to halt deportations, the newly elected Pakistani government has disappointingly now extended the deportation drive to Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders as well,” said James Jennion, according to TOLOnews.

Afghan migrants in Pakistan are concerned about their unclear future as the second wave of expulsion of Afghan migrants is about to begin in the country.

They object to the Pakistani police detaining and abusing Afghan migrants.

The first phase of expelling undocumented Afghan migrants from Pakistan began in November 2023, whereas the second phase, under the name of the ‘repatriation plan’ which also includes those holding citizenship cards, is set to start on April 10.

Human rights organisations and Afghanistan both criticised the action, but the government stood its own and insisted that it was not directed at any one ethnic community. (ANI)

Amnesty slams Pakistan over deportation

Pakistan’s recent announcement of deporting all Afghan refugees back to their homeland of Afghanistan after the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr will affect the Afghan refugees living in Pakistan despite having the required Pakistani citizenship, a report by Amnesty International said on Thursday.

Reacting to the announcement of the newly elected government James Jennion, Campaigner for the Refugee and Migrants’ Rights at Amnesty International, said, “The Pakistan authorities’ callous disregard for the persecution, serious human rights violations and humanitarian catastrophe that await Afghan refugees if deported to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan is heart-breaking. Instead of heeding repeated global calls to halt deportations, the newly-elected Pakistani government has disappointingly now extended the deportation drive to Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders as well,” the same report also said.

Jennion also mentioned that this decision will affect the lives of over 8,00,000 Afghan refugees across Pakistan and expose these Afghans to another wave of harassment and struggle.

“Pakistan’s ‘Illegal Foreigners’ Repatriation Plan’ is in violation of refugee and international human rights law, particularly the principle of non-refoulement, and puts the lives of all Afghan refugees at risk, particularly women, girls, journalists, human rights defenders, women protestors, artists, and former Afghan government and security officials. The Government’s decision also lacks transparency and arbitrarily cancels the validity of the ACC documentation that was issued by the Government of Pakistan itself,” he also said.

“We call on the Pakistani authorities to immediately reverse these decisions and urgently pass human rights-compliant law protecting the rights of refugees in the country and become a state party to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees along with its Protocols.”, he added.

In October last year, the Pakistani administration had announced ‘Illegal Foreigners’ Repatriation Plan’ which stated that all Afghan refugees must leave Pakistan within 30 days, or will be forced to leave the country after the deadline.

The Amnesty International report mentioned that it has documented a complete lack of transparency, due process and accountability in the detentions and unlawful deportations of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, which was exacerbated by increased harassment and hostility towards them.

Further, referring to the second phase of Pakistan’s deportation plan the same report mentioned that in phase 2 of the ‘repatriation plan’, Pakistan-issued Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders will be expelled from the country after the Eid Al-Fitr festival, a major Muslim holiday expected to fall on April 10, 2024 in the region. Phase 3 is expected to result in the forced and unlawful deportation of UNHCR-issued Proof of Registration (PoR) card holders.

According to the Amnesty International report, Pakistan since September 2023 has deported 5,27,981 refugees to Afghanistan. The government states that there are over 8,00,000 ACC holders, while UNHCR estimates there are 1.3 million PoR holders in Pakistan.

Amnesty International has repeatedly urged the government to reverse its decision to deport Afghan refugees, most recently in its ten-point Human Rights Charter for the newly elected government in Pakistan, the report mentioned. (ANI)

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