Afghanistan Faces Eid and Nowruz Amid Deep Poverty and Hardship, Says UN Representative
Nasir Ahmad Fayiq, acting permanent representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations, has announced that this year’s Eid al-Fitr and Nowruz arrive while the citizens of the country are struggling with severe economic and social crises. He emphasized that millions live in difficult living conditions with no clear prospect for improvement.
On Friday, March 19, Fayiq wrote on X that this marks the fifth consecutive year that schools and educational centers have remained closed to girls. These restrictions, imposed by the Taliban administration, have resulted in widespread deprivation of girls’ right to education, sparking serious domestic and international concerns.
According to him, women have also been deprived of the right to work during this time, and over 23 million people in Afghanistan are in need of humanitarian assistance. Poverty, unemployment, hopelessness about the future, and insecurity continue to be expanding challenges that, he believes, weigh heavily on families.
The acting permanent representative also referred to families who have lost their loved ones or had them injured in recent attacks by Pakistan. He described these attacks as “inhumane and contrary to Islamic values” and noted that some families remain in mourning for their martyrs and injured.
In closing, Fayiq extended his congratulations on Eid al-Fitr and Nowruz to the people of Afghanistan, expressing hope that the new year will pave the way for lasting peace, an end to suffering, and a new chapter of prosperity in the country.
