Gender equality

The Prime Minister’s directive places the Education Assistance Trust and relevant ministries under clear instructions to produce a concrete proposal.

UNESCO says it will keep seeking every possible avenue to support learning while pressing for the restrictions to be lifted.

Mainstreaming violence-against-women considerations into every programme – not only those labelled “gender” – is essential.

Afghanistan’s women and girls, already bearing the brunt of the crisis, stand to lose the most if current trends persist.

This gathering reinforces that women’s empowerment is not just a rights issue but a development imperative aligned with Islamic principles and modern needs.

Experts advocate treating care as essential social infrastructure. Expanding services, redistributing unpaid work through policy, and challenging norms that sideline educated women could unlock significant gains.

Humanitarian actors warn that without addressing root issues – including rights restrictions and economic isolation – Afghanistan risks losing another generation.

In a sobering assessment released this week, the United Nations has painted a complex portrait of Afghanistan under Taliban governance, where a dramatic increase in security incidents coincides with fragile stability, devastating cross-border violence with Pakistan, and a deepening humanitarian and human rights crisis.