The HANA Human Rights Organization has expressed serious concern over what it describes as an increasing pattern of legal exclusion affecting Afghan migrants in Iran, particularly women and children who face growing obstacles in accessing civil registration and judicial protection.

In a detailed statement, the organization said many Afghan migrants struggle to obtain legal recognition of key personal-status matters, including marriage, divorce, birth registration, custody, inheritance, and maintenance claims. It warned that these issues have worsened following recent armed conflict, tighter security measures, disruption of public services, internet shutdowns, and increased administrative pressure.

HANA said the absence of an effective and accessible civil-registration system has left many Afghan migrants in a situation of “legal invisibility,” limiting their ability to prove family relations, access public services, and seek legal remedies.

The organization stressed that civil-status registration is essential for basic rights such as legal identity, family recognition, inheritance, and access to justice. It warned that failures in registration systems can lead to wider violations of civil, social, and economic rights.

According to the statement, Afghan women are particularly affected, especially in cases involving domestic violence, unregistered marriages, informal divorces, abandonment, or custody disputes, where access to courts and legal protection is often limited.

HANA also highlighted risks faced by Afghan children, including lack of birth registration and identity documents, which may result in denial of education, healthcare, and social protection, and increase vulnerability to child labour, exploitation, and early marriage.

The organization said these challenges raise concerns under Iranian domestic law and constitutional guarantees of access to justice and equality before the law, as well as Iran’s obligations under international human rights treaties, including protections for children and the right to legal identity.

HANA urged Iranian authorities to establish transparent civil-registration procedures for Afghan nationals, ensure equal access to courts regardless of migration status, protect migrant women and children from legal and social harm, and create emergency mechanisms during crises to maintain access to justice and essential services.

It also called for an end to practices that may lead to detention, deportation, or intimidation of migrants seeking legal or administrative assistance.

The group warned that the combined effect of administrative and security barriers risks creating a system of structural legal exclusion, preventing many Afghan migrants from securing basic rights and legal recognition in Iran.

A new World Bank report says transforming food and agriculture systems could significantly improve food security, create jobs, and strengthen economic resilience in Afghanistan, which continues to face rising pressure from climate change and water shortages.

The report titled “Building Food Security, Creating Jobs” highlights Afghanistan as one of several countries facing growing food insecurity driven by environmental stress, conflict, and economic challenges.

According to the report, the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan region (MENAAP) faces mounting pressures from climate change, water scarcity, conflict, and rising malnutrition. Today, one in six people across the region lacks reliable access to food, while 42 percent cannot afford a healthy diet. Demand for food is projected to increase by 67 percent by 2050.

The World Bank warns that food insecurity in the region is being intensified by climate change, water scarcity, and conflict, all of which are placing heavy pressure on agricultural production systems.

The report emphasizes that improving food security is not only about increasing farm output, but about modernizing the entire farm-to-table system. This includes strengthening supply chains, reducing food loss, improving storage and logistics, and investing in climate-smart agriculture.

It also highlights that agrifood systems already play a major economic role, supporting tens of millions of jobs across the region, including in farming, transport, processing, and food services.

For Afghanistan, the report suggests that reforms in agriculture and food systems could help reduce poverty, improve nutrition, and create employment opportunities, particularly for young people and rural communities.

Kandahar Governor Mullah Mohammad Shirin Akhund has called on Turkey to expand its support for healthcare, agriculture and development projects in Afghanistan, particularly in Kandahar, during a meeting with Turkey’s ambassador to Afghanistan.

According to a statement from the Kandahar governor’s office, Sadin Ayyıldız, Chargé d’Affaires of the Turkish Embassy in Kabul, and his delegation met with Akhund during an official visit to the province on Saturday.

The governor thanked Turkey for its longstanding support for Afghanistan and described the country as a close friend with shared religious, cultural and historical ties. He expressed hope for stronger bilateral relations and broader cooperation between the two countries.

Akhund requested that Turkey increase its assistance by building clinics in districts and remote areas, supplying medicines and medical equipment, and helping equip Mirwais Regional Hospital and the Aino Mina 350-bed Hospital.

He also called for training programs for Afghan doctors and other healthcare workers, greater cooperation in agriculture and livestock through the sharing of Turkish expertise, faster visa processing for Afghan patients and businesspeople, and support for schools, religious schools, clinics and clean water supply networks in settlements for newly returned Afghan refugees.

The governor said these sectors represent some of Kandahar’s most pressing needs.

The statement added that Ayyıldız praised Afghanistan’s security situation, reconstruction efforts and other developments, saying Turkey has long sought to stand alongside the Afghan people and support them in areas of need. He also expressed hope for Afghanistan’s continued development.