The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has stated that the Taliban’s restrictions on women have caused long-term harm to Afghanistan’s society. The organization emphasized the urgent need to address these issues.

On Tuesday, February 18, UNAMA shared an image of Roza Otunbayeva, its head, at a meeting organized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The office stressed that more constructive discussions are needed regarding the situation of Afghanistan’s women.

UNAMA highlighted that restrictions on education, employment, and healthcare access have had severe long-term consequences for Afghanistan. These limitations continue to impact women’s lives and the country’s overall development.

The organization further stated that meaningful participation of women in these key areas is urgently needed. Excluding women from these sectors prevents social and economic progress and deepens the humanitarian crisis.

The Taliban have banned Afghanistan’s women and girls from education, employment, and basic freedoms, severely limiting their rights and opportunities. These restrictions have drawn strong criticism from the international community.

Despite global condemnation, the Taliban’s increasing restrictions on women have not stopped. International pressure has so far failed to reverse these policies, leaving women with limited opportunities and uncertain futures.

The continued suppression of women’s rights in Afghanistan has isolated the country diplomatically and economically. Many nations and organizations refuse to fully engage with the Taliban regime until significant policy changes occur.

As the world calls for reforms, Afghanistan’s women remain at the center of a human rights crisis. Without urgent intervention, the long-term damage caused by these restrictions may hinder Afghanistan’s development for generations.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned about the negative impacts of the ban on women’s and girls’ education in the field of medical sciences in Afghanistan, describing it as a factor that could lead to a long-term crisis in the country’s healthcare sector.

On Tuesday, February 18, OCHA released a report stating that the maternal mortality rate in Afghanistan is three times higher than the global average.

According to the report, on December 2, 2024, the Ministry of Higher Education under the Taliban administration ordered the closure of all medical institutes for women and girls, including higher education and semi-professional programs. This decision poses serious challenges to the future of Afghanistan’s healthcare system.

Earlier, some media outlets reported that Bakht-ur-Rahman Sharafat, Deputy Minister of Public Health, had announced during a meeting with medical institute officials in Kabul that female students would no longer be allowed to continue their studies in these institutions.

A day after this announcement, the Taliban authorities in Kabul and several other provinces began preventing girls from entering these educational institutions. Before this decision, women and girls were pursuing education in fields such as midwifery, pharmacy, dental prosthetics, laboratory sciences, radiology, physiotherapy, and nursing in medical institutes.

According to United Nations statistics, Afghanistan is among the countries with the highest maternal mortality rates in the world.

The ban on women’s medical education will not only worsen the existing healthcare crisis but will also deprive Afghan society of skilled female professionals who play a crucial role in maternal and child healthcare. This decision threatens to create a severe shortage of female healthcare workers, which could disproportionately impact women, particularly in rural areas where cultural norms often prevent them from receiving treatment from male doctors.

Addressing this issue requires urgent international intervention and policy changes to ensure that Afghan women and girls can resume their education and contribute to the healthcare sector. Without immediate action, Afghanistan’s healthcare system risks further collapse, leading to increased suffering and loss of lives.

Reuters reported on Sunday that most foreign fighters fleeing Iraq have joined ISIS-Khorasan in Afghanistan. According to the report, Sanaullah Ghafari, the leader of ISIS-Khorasan, has turned the group into one of the most dangerous factions with the ability to carry out cross-border attacks.

The article, written by Michael Georgy and Menna AlaaElDin, highlighted ISIS’s continued global reach, despite previous setbacks. The group remains active and capable of executing deadly attacks across the globe, particularly in the Middle East, the West, and Asia.

The report mentions ISIS’s efforts to increase its influence, noting that even after being defeated by a U.S.-led coalition, the group has managed to reorganize. It emphasizes the group’s ability to carry out operations far from its bases along borders in countries like Afghanistan.

Sanaullah Ghafari, a 29-year-old leader, is credited with transforming ISIS-Khorasan into a formidable branch capable of conducting guerrilla operations and surprise attacks in the Middle East. This has contributed to its growing notoriety as a significant threat.

In addition, the report provides examples of recent ISIS attacks worldwide, such as the deadly concert hall attack in Russia, bombings in Iran, and a suicide attack in a mosque in Oman. These incidents underscore ISIS’s ongoing global threat.

The threat posed by ISIS-Khorasan remains significant, especially in Afghanistan, where its operations are escalating under Ghafari’s leadership. As the group continues to expand its influence, countries around the world are facing the increasing risk of deadly attacks, highlighting the need for stronger counterterrorism efforts to address this global threat.

Recent ISIS attacks in Kabul and Kunduz further demonstrate the group’s expanding reach within Afghanistan. The increasing number of attacks in these cities signals a growing challenge for the Taliban security forces and international efforts to curb the terrorist group’s influence in the region.