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Watchdogs call for immediate end to attacks on activists and journalists
Amnesty International along with nine other watchdog organizations said in a joint statement on Wednesday that the Afghan government has failed to adequately respond to complaints of threats and early warning signals of attacks against human rights defenders and journalists.
“Defenders are faced with an impossible choice of balancing their commitment to work in their country with threats against themselves and their families,” the statement read.
“We call on the Government of Afghanistan to take greater responsibility to ensure the safety and security of defenders, activists, and journalists, and to end impunity for the attacks against them.”
The group stated “the timing of escalating attacks against human rights defenders, activists and journalists appears to be linked to the ongoing peace process between the Government of Afghanistan, the United States, and the Taliban”.
They said from September 2020 until May 2021, a total of 17 human rights defenders have been killed, including nine journalists.
During this period, over 200 human rights defenders and media representatives reported that they were receiving serious threats.
According to the statement: “These attacks are aimed at silencing peaceful dissent and those working on human rights, especially women’s rights, as well as those seeking justice and accountability for human rights violations.
In addition, the group said: “The attack targeting school children in Kabul on 8 May, is a devastating reminder of escalating violence against civilians, especially against women and girls.”
They also stated that with the announcement of an unconditional withdrawal and no progress on the peace process, the promotion and protection of the rights of human rights defenders and journalists does not seem to be a priority.
“The lack of respect for International Humanitarian Law and the absence of accountability for attacks against human rights defenders and activists, have only increased the danger to defenders and emboldened perpetrators,” they said.
The use of civilian targets for military gains was also slammed by the group who said the Afghan authorities and the international community must call on all
parties to end this and to safeguard the progress in human rights made over the last two decades so as to ensure they are not scaled back as a result of the
ongoing negotiations.
The group noted that civil society members, women human rights defenders and journalists often have had to relocate within Afghanistan and, in some cases, even temporarily leave the country with their families for safety concerns.
“State mechanisms for the protection of defenders including the recently appointed Joint Commission for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders have yet to be operationalized,” the statement read.
They also said much more must be done to ensure that the peace process takes into account the threats, harassment, intimidation and attacks occurring in the country and to ensure that it does not exacerbate people’s suffering.
“The crisis unfolding in the country requires a strong commitment to direct engagement and support for Afghan defenders to work and live in safety and dignity,” the statement read.
In turn, the group called on the Afghan government and relevant international actors to take certain steps, including that the newly established government-led Joint Commission deliver on its objectives to provide effective protection to human rights defenders at risk.
“We call for access to information on the measures that the Joint Commission has taken so far to provide immediate protection to defenders, investigate the threats against them and to bring suspected perpetrators to justice,” the statement read.
They also called on the Taliban and other groups targeting civilians and human rights defenders to immediately end the violence and prioritize intra-Afghan peace talks as a way to ensure sustainable peace.
The group also suggested the establishment of a national monitoring mechanism, and an impartial and independent mechanism internationally to investigate the killings of human rights defenders and journalists in order to clarify the circumstances in which the defenders were killed, and to expeditiously bring those responsible to justice.
In conclusion the group stated that effective representation of human rights defenders, especially women, needs to be ensured in any peace process that has a bearing on their security.
“Participation must include guarantees of safety, and effective and equitable representation of views.”
Signatory Organizations:
Amnesty International
Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
Civicus
FIDH, within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
World Organisation Against Torture
(OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
Front Line Defenders
South Asians for Human Rights
Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights – Asia & Pacific
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
Children recovering from malnutrition in Afghanistan often return to households that lack the resources to provide the nutritious food they need to fully recover and grow, Action Against Hunger has warned.
The organization said recurrent drought, poverty, food insecurity and limited household incomes are making it difficult for families to prevent children from falling back into malnutrition after completing treatment.
However, repeated drought and other climate-related shocks have reduced harvests and household income, leaving families struggling to provide adequate nutrition for their children.
Action Against Hunger said the situation highlights the need to go beyond treating malnutrition and address the underlying causes of hunger and poverty.
The warning comes as malnutrition cases continue to rise across Afghanistan. In June 2026, the Therapeutic Feeding Unit in Kabul recorded 142 new admissions, a 149 percent increase compared with the same period in 2025.
Similar increases have been reported in other provinces where Action Against Hunger operates. In Lashkar Gah, Helmand province, the organization expanded the capacity of its therapeutic feeding unit from 45 beds to 72 and then to 118 within a matter of weeks due to the sharp rise in cases.
Action Against Hunger said climate-related shocks, including severe winter conditions, drought and water shortages, have further weakened food security across the country. Water shortages have damaged agricultural production in rural areas, forcing some families to leave their homes in search of livelihoods and basic necessities.
The organization stressed that sustained investment in both emergency nutrition services and longer-term livelihood programmes is needed to help families break the cycle of poverty and recurrent malnutrition.
Cobi Rietveld, Afghanistan Country Director at Action Against Hunger, said addressing the root causes of hunger is essential for achieving lasting progress against malnutrition.
“When families have the means to earn a living and provide for their children, the benefits extend far beyond nutrition,” Rietveld said, adding that livelihood support can help families meet their needs with dignity, protect children’s futures and build resilience against future crises.
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UNESCO: 2.4 million Afghan girls denied education since 2021
UNESCO estimates that the ban could force around 600,000 Afghan women out of the workforce by 2066 and cause $9.6 billion in lost income. It could also increase the risk of early marriage.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said on Tuesday around 2.4 million Afghan girls have been denied secondary education since the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) returned to power in 2021.
In a statement on Tuesday, UNESCO said Afghanistan is the only country in the world where girls and women are officially barred from secondary and higher education.
The organization warned that the restrictions could increase poverty, reduce employment opportunities and cause long-term damage to Afghanistan’s future.
UNESCO estimates that the ban could force around 600,000 Afghan women out of the workforce by 2066 and cause $9.6 billion in lost income. It could also increase the risk of early marriage.
Girls’ secondary schools were closed in March 2022, followed by a ban on women attending universities in December of the same year. The IEA initially described the restrictions as temporary, but they remain in place.
UNESCO also warned that the restrictions could worsen Afghanistan’s shortage of female teachers. It estimates the country could face a shortage of more than 11,000 qualified female teachers by 2030.
The organization said more than 90% of 10-year-old children in Afghanistan cannot read a simple text, while the national literacy rate is around 37%.
Nearly half of the country’s schools also lack adequate access to water, sanitation or heating, UNESCO said.
According to the report, around three million people returned to Afghanistan in 2025, putting further pressure on the education system. Since 2021, earthquakes, floods and other natural disasters have also forced around 1,000 schools to close.
Russia’s Power Machines Company is interested in investing in the rehabilitation and modernization of Afghanistan’s power plants, Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) said on Tuesday.
DABS Chief Executive Officer Abdul Haq Hamkar discussed the potential investment with technical officials from Power Machines, with talks focusing on rehabilitating existing power plants, modernizing equipment and expanding power-generation capacity.
According to DABS, Hamkar said the company would cooperate in facilitating preliminary technical assessments of Afghanistan’s power plants and in exploring investment opportunities in the sector.
Denis Rudakov, head of Power Machines’ commercial department, said the Russian company plans to conduct preliminary technical assessments of existing power plants in Afghanistan.
Based on the findings, Power Machines will prepare proposals for rehabilitating facilities, modernizing equipment and increasing electricity-generation capacity, DABS said.
Afghanistan currently has several operational power plants, while efforts are underway to increase their generation capacity and upgrade their equipment, according to DABS.
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