UN Says Rights and Living Conditions in Afghanistan Are Worsening

A new United Nations report says living conditions in Afghanistan are deteriorating sharply, with women and girls bearing the brunt of deepening repression and poverty.

The United Nations has said conditions in Afghanistan worsened significantly between August 2025 and January 2026, particularly for women and girls. The report, presented Monday at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, said nearly every area of civilian life, from education and work to healthcare and freedom of movement has come under growing strain.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said about 21.9 million people; nearly half of Afghanistan’s population — will need humanitarian assistance this year. The report said the crisis has been aggravated by falling international aid, the return of roughly three million migrants from neighboring countries and the continuing effects of drought and economic collapse.

According to the report, since the Taliban tookover, girls remain barred from education beyond sixth grade and women continue to face sweeping restrictions on university study, employment, public services and freedom of movement. The UN said these measures have had a broad and deeply harmful impact on Afghanistan society, while also worsening poverty and dependence across households.

The report also pointed to growing pressure on free expression, saying journalists have been arbitrarily detained and women writers’ works removed from libraries. It further documented the continued use of punishments such as public executions and floggings, which the UN described as serious human rights violations.

The UN said a 48-hour internet shutdown in 2025 also disrupted vital services, including banking and healthcare, compounding daily hardship for ordinary Afghans. Türk described the situation as a “graveyard of human rights,” warning that millions are now living in extreme poverty without reliable access to food, water, education or medical care.

Afghanistan was already facing one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises before the latest deterioration. UN agencies have repeatedly warned that years of conflict, economic isolation, climate shocks and collapsing public services have left the country exceptionally vulnerable to further instability.

The report’s findings also come as international concern grows over forced and large-scale returns of Afghans from neighboring countries. Aid agencies have warned that additional returns could put even more pressure on already overstretched communities, services and humanitarian operations inside Afghanistan.

The United Nations has called on the Taliban to reverse discriminatory policies, restore women’s rights, end executions, and guarantee basic freedoms. It also urged the international community to prevent forced deportations of Afghan refugees and support international accountability mechanisms for rights violations.

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