The United Nations Human Rights Office, citing a report by Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, has said that the Taliban’s policies have severely restricted the fundamental rights of Afghan children and placed their future at serious risk.
The UN said in a report on Tuesday, September 8, that children and adolescents in Afghanistan, particularly girls, have been deprived of access to education, freedom of expression, and participation in social life, and are facing discrimination.
The report said that, in addition to being deprived of education, Afghan children face risks such as forced and child marriage, child labor, and gender-based violence.
The UN said the situation is even more difficult for children living in poverty, those in remote areas, children with disabilities, and those from marginalized ethnic and religious groups.
Richard Bennett warned that the Taliban’s restrictions on education, the media, culture, and freedom of expression have also limited the space for children’s intellectual development.
Bennett said children need to be educated in an environment where they can think freely, express their views, and imagine a different future for themselves.
However, many Afghan children are growing up in conditions of fear, isolation, and uncertainty.
