The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has identified Afghanistan as one of the most challenging countries for mothers, noting that every two hours, a mother dies due to preventable pregnancy and childbirth complications.

On Monday, November 4, UNFPA released a report expressing deep concern over the rising maternal mortality rate in Afghanistan.

The report states that every two hours, a life is lost due to preventable complications related to reproductive health.

According to the UN, Afghanistan’s weak healthcare infrastructure and limited access to reproductive health services, especially in rural areas, pose serious threats to the lives of mothers and newborns.

The organization attributes the prolonged humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan to factors such as ongoing economic instability, restrictions on women’s employment and education, the return of refugees, and the increase in internally displaced people.

The United Nations has also emphasized the importance of continuing healthcare services for mothers and children in Afghanistan.

Previous UN data indicates that out of every 100,000 births, 638 Afghan mothers lose their lives.

For consecutive years, Afghanistan has had the highest maternal and infant mortality rates in Asia.

The restrictions on women’s rights, including the barring of education and employment, exacerbate the health crisis, as women lack the resources, knowledge, and support to access essential healthcare services, especially during pregnancy and childbirth.

The denial of education and employment opportunities for women and girls in Afghanistan is not only a violation of human rights but also deepens the humanitarian crisis, limiting the country’s potential for future stability and development.

Addressing these issues is crucial to ensuring the safety and well-being of Afghan women and their families.

Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, highlighted the importance of protecting journalists worldwide in a post on his social media platform X on Saturday.

“Today, the United States reaffirms its commitment to ending impunity for crimes against journalists. We call on all governments to protect journalists from violence and hold perpetrators of crimes accountable,” Miller stated.

Simultaneously, on November 5, Karen Decker, the Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Mission to Afghanistan, emphasized access to information as a universal human right. Decker noted that reliable journalism is essential for informed decision-making and accountability, especially in countries facing significant political and social challenges.

“Access to information is a universal human right & crucial for informed decision-making in all walks of life,” Decker stated.

In her statement, she acknowledged the critical role Afghan journalists play in informing Afghan citizens globally and holding leaders accountable. she called for global efforts to ensure that journalists and media workers can operate safely, free from fear, retaliation, or intimidation.

“#Afghan journalists inform #Afghan citizens around the world; Afghan journalism holds leaders accountable. Journalists/media workers must be supported and able to work safely, without fear of retaliation or intimidation,” she stated.

The United States, according to her, remains firmly committed to ending impunity for crimes against journalists. This commitment includes urging all governments to safeguard journalists from violence and to hold those who commit crimes against them accountable.

The statement comes amid a backdrop of increasing restrictions and dangers faced by journalists in Afghanistan, especially female journalists, who face severe restrictions under the current regime.

In Afghanistan, access to information has become increasingly restricted, with strict control over media and limited freedom for journalists to report openly. This is especially alarming as it impacts the transparency and accountability of the government, ultimately depriving Afghan citizens of their right to be informed.

Many female journalists have been forced to leave the profession due to threats, intimidation, and systemic barriers imposed by the current regime, reducing the diversity of voices in the Afghan media landscape.

The restrictions on journalists, particularly on women, severely impact Afghanistan society. With limited access to unbiased information, citizens are left in the dark about issues affecting their daily lives.

Despite a formal ban on poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported a 19% increase in cultivation in 2024 compared to the previous year. The Taliban has reportedly struggled to enforce the ban effectively.

The report reveals that in 2023, poppy cultivation covered approximately 10,800 hectares. This figure rose to 12,800 hectares in 2024, reflecting an expansion despite ongoing restrictions.

Released on Wednesday, the UNODC report noted a particular rise in poppy cultivation in northeastern Afghanistan. Additionally, the price of dry opium has reached around $730 per kilogram, indicating a profitable illegal market.

The UN emphasized the need to support Afghan farmers to help them transition away from illegal markets. Such support is deemed essential for reducing dependency on poppy cultivation.

Ghada Waly, Executive Director of UNODC, expressed that Afghanistan’s relatively low poppy cultivation levels present an opportunity to aid farmers in finding sustainable, legal income sources.

Waly added that both men and women in Afghanistan continue to face severe economic and humanitarian challenges, creating an urgent need for alternative livelihoods to replace poppy farming.

The UN findings highlighted a geographic shift in cultivation patterns. While southwestern provinces were the traditional hub until 2023, northeastern regions now account for 59% of poppy cultivation in 2024.

This shift represents a 381% increase in poppy farming in these northeastern provinces since 2023. Efforts to eradicate poppy crops have been met with resistance; the Taliban faced protests, particularly in Badakhshan, where violent crackdowns led to casualties.

The continued rise in poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, despite prohibitions, reveals the complex dependency of Afghan farmers on this crop for economic survival. Without providing viable, sustainable income alternatives, anti-poppy efforts are likely to face further resistance, challenging both regional security and counter-narcotic goals.

A balanced approach, combining crop eradication with substantial livelihood support, is crucial to reducing reliance on illegal economies and fostering a stable, lawful future for Afghan communities.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced that 25% of the refugees who have arrived in Greece by sea are Afghan citizens.

In a report published on Wednesday, November 6, UNHCR stated that a total of 28,352 refugees reached Greece by sea in 2024.

According to UNHCR, Afghan citizens make up the majority of these refugees after Syrians.

The report highlighted that 25% of these Afghan refugees are migrating as families.

One-quarter of these refugees are children, according to the report.

Based on UNHCR statistics, the majority of these refugees are from Egypt, Syria, Somalia, and Afghanistan, with 22% being children.

UNHCR has previously noted that Afghanistan has the highest number of displaced persons worldwide.

Afghanistan and Syria each account for 6.4 million refugees globally, which together comprise one-third of the world’s total refugee population.

The primary drivers of this migration are considered to be war, internal conflict, poverty, lack of employment, food insecurity, and limited educational opportunities.

This ongoing migration highlights the dire conditions in Afghanistan, Syria, and other regions, emphasizing the urgent need for global intervention to address the root causes of displacement and support the millions affected.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has stated that the United States and its allies are attempting to interfere in the fragile situation in Afghanistan.

Lavrov added that the aggressive activities of the U.S. and its allies pose a threat to the security of the entire Asian continent.

During the conference, the Russian Foreign Minister accused Washington of seeking to sow division and create crises in the region.

Lavrov emphasized that Western nations have no interest in seeing a stable Eurasian region.

The Russian diplomat called on Asian countries to unite and strengthen their solidarity.

Lavrov added that under various pretexts, the U.S. wants to meddle in Afghan affairs.

Lavrov’s remarks highlight the ongoing geopolitical competition over Afghanistan, with various global powers aiming to secure influence in the region.

He sees U.S. intervention as a threat to both Afghanistan’s stability and the broader security of Eurasia.

In this context, China has been strategically expanding its influence through economic investments in Afghanistan, such as infrastructure projects and mineral extraction agreements, aiming to secure its economic foothold and support regional stability on its terms.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan continues to be a focal point for global power dynamics, as Russia, the U.S., and China compete for influence. Each country seeks to shape Afghanistan’s future based on its interests, whether through security, economic partnerships, or diplomatic channels.