UNHCR ‘s report recently shows that nearly 150000 Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan so far this year, adding to an unprecedented 2.9 million returns in 2025 and about 5.4 million since October 2023. Many of these returns have occurred under extremely difficult circumstances.
The Afghanistan office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says it has treated more than 24,000 people affected by earthquakes across the country.
She says, “I truly lost hope at first and fell into depression. Despite all these challenges and restrictions, I did not want to give up on my goal. I want to become a doctor, and I am confident that one day I will achieve my dream.”
On February 11, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, UNAMA called for the ban on girls’ education beyond sixth grade to be lifted.
Masamoto Kenichi said, “My country has allocated over 6.26 million dollars from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for this campaign, which will be implemented by UNICEF starting this month. The goal is to ensure that every child in Afghanistan can access oral polio vaccines without interruption, both through routine programs and national campaigns.”
The Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Office-Afghanistan announced on X that foreign investors can now obtain residence for 1 to 10 years, based on their investment level.
“If it doesn’t rain and there is no water—just like last year when the rice crops failed—people in Kunduz didn’t get proper yields. When harvests fail, prices go up. Without water and rainfall, farmers face a tough situation.” He said.
UNODC’s report recently shows that drug use in Afghanistan is still mainly influenced by traditional substances; however, the consumption of synthetic drugs and the misuse of medical medicines are on the rise.
Alina Tokhi says having girls in such jobs shows that women, like men, can do any kind of work. “I used to think this was only for men, but I realized any job men can do, women can do too,” she says.
Many widows in Afghanistan who have lost their husbands for different reasons, face social pressure and even threats of losing their children to force them into marrying their late husbands’ relatives.
On Sunday night, 31 August 2025, a powerful earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan, especially Kunar Province. The tremors were also felt in nearby provinces. According to reputable global seismic centers, the earthquake registered 6.0 on the Richter scale, which is relatively rare in Afghanistan’s history of natural disasters. Most districts of Kunar were affected, with the strongest shaking felt in Nurgal, Sawkai, Khas Kunar, and some other districts. This earthquake has been recorded as one of the deadliest in Afghanistan in recent years. As a result, around 2,200 people lost their lives, more than 4,000 were injured, and over 8,000 homes were destroyed.
Provinces like Badghis, Logar, and Kunduz are in an extreme crisis; Faryab and Maidan Wardak are severely affected, while Badakhshan is among the less affected provinces. Geographically, central provinces face high migration and land dryness, Northern provinces experience reduced production, and eastern provinces show limited coping responses.
