![Afghan, Nasir Ahmad Faiq, Afghanistan's Acting Representative to the United Nations, UN General Assembly’s Third Committee, Afghanistan Un]der Taliban Rule](https://khyberchronicles.pk/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Faiq.jpeg)
Afghanistan’s acting representative to the United Nations, Nasir Ahmad Faiq, has warned that the country’s worsening humanitarian and human rights crises are putting an entire generation at risk, calling for the immediate repeal of Taliban restrictions on women, girls and minority communities.
Speaking at a meeting of the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee, Faiq described the situation as the destruction of opportunities for an entire generation. He said the Taliban’s repressive measures and laws targeting women, girls and minorities ran contrary to the religious teachings and traditions of the Afghan people.
Faiq expressed appreciation for the findings presented by UN Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan Richard Bennett and warned that the exclusion of millions of girls from education was jeopardizing both their individual futures and the country’s long-term prospects.
The continued denial of access to secondary schools and universities for women and girls, he said, was not merely an education issue but a threat to Afghanistan’s social and economic future.
He also raised concerns over the replacement of basic education for boys with ideological and jihadist schooling, alongside growing child labor and the risk of children being recruited into armed groups. He called for international support for online learning and community-based education to help children continue their studies despite restrictions.
Faiq further condemned pressure on civil society activists and journalists, as well as arbitrary arrests, describing these practices as part of the Taliban’s broader approach to governing the country.
Millions of Returnees Face Mounting Hardship
Faiq also highlighted the additional pressure on Afghanistan’s humanitarian situation following the return of more than five million refugees from neighboring countries since October 2021. He said many had returned under pressure and without adequate assistance, compounding the difficulties faced by families already struggling with poverty and limited access to essential services.
He urged host countries to respect the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning people to places where they face a real risk of persecution or other serious harm.
The influx of returnees has added to the strain on Afghanistan’s already stretched education, healthcare and livelihood systems, increasing the need for sustained humanitarian assistance and international support.
UN Engagement Must Not Legitimize Gender Apartheid
Faiq called on the international community to make engagement with the Taliban conditional on clear human rights standards, warning that diplomatic interaction must not lead to the normalization of policies that institutionalize discrimination against women and girls.
He stressed that humanitarian assistance in education, healthcare and livelihoods must continue without interruption, regardless of the political situation. He also called for independent international accountability mechanisms and the International Criminal Court to play their roles in ensuring justice and accountability.
Faiq said a lasting resolution to Afghanistan’s overlapping crises would require a peace process centered on the Afghan people and the establishment of an inclusive, accountable government that reflects public will.
His remarks add to mounting international concerns over Taliban restrictions, the erosion of fundamental freedoms and the humanitarian consequences of policies that continue to exclude large sections of Afghan society from education and public life.
