Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur for human rights in Afghanistan, says he will present a report on the right to health for Afghan women and girls at the upcoming 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Bennett announced on X that his presentation is scheduled for 26 February, and he will also deliver an oral statement covering concerning recent human rights developments.

Bennett has repeatedly warned that ongoing limitations on women’s rights—including education, employment, movement, and access to essential services—pose serious risks to Afghanistan’s social and humanitarian stability.

The 61st session of the Human Rights Council comes at a time when international agencies continue to urge the Islamic Emirate authorities to reverse policies that disproportionately affect women and girls and to restore their access to basic rights and services.

The Islamic Emirate has emphasized that its policies on women and girls are in accordance with the Sharia law.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has reported that a magnitude 5.8 earthquake occurred tonight in northeastern Afghanistan.

The earthquake struck at 5:39 PM local time in Afghanistan, with a reported depth of 90.7 kilometers.

So far, there have been no reports of casualties or damage resulting from the incident.

John Aylieff, World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director in Afghanistan, says the hunger crisis has gripped the country in a catastrophic manner, and that the organization does not have the capacity to assist all those in need due to budget shortfalls.

This United Nations official, in an interview with the Associated Press, referring to the reduction in humanitarian aid to the people of Afghanistan, said that malnutrition in the country—especially among women and children—has reached its highest level. He stressed that the current figures represent the highest recorded level of malnutrition in Afghanistan, now putting the lives of four million children at risk.

He added: “The cuts in aid have been devastating. Of the four million hungry and malnourished children, we are now forced to turn away three out of every four because we do not have enough funding. We are still facing a catastrophic food crisis, as two-thirds of the country’s population are experiencing very severe acute malnutrition or are at crisis levels.”

Meanwhile, some experts in the country consider the causes of Afghanistan’s widespread hunger crisis to be multiple, adding that the reduction in aid is one of the main factors behind the worsening crisis.

It is worth noting that, in addition to the decline in international assistance to the people of Afghanistan, climate change—including consecutive droughts—lack of employment opportunities, and the large-scale return of migrants are considered major factors contributing to the humanitarian crisis in the country.