UN visit to Bamiyan highlights Hazara struggles under Taliban rule
UN visit to Bamiyan highlights Hazara struggles under Taliban rule
A high-level delegation from the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), led by political affairs chief Georgette Gagnon, visited Bamiyan province—home to a majority of Shia Hazaras—for the first time since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
During the visit, Gagnon met with Taliban officials, local elders, and women to assess the region’s growing humanitarian and political challenges. She also visited a school, a women’s rehab center, and Bamiyan Radio—the province’s only active media outlet—where journalists voiced concerns over girls’ education and the need for media support.
UNAMA reported widespread concern among residents over poverty, lack of aid, and political marginalization. Many accused the Taliban of directing humanitarian aid toward Pashtun-majority areas while neglecting Shia regions.
This rare acknowledgment by the UN brings attention to systemic discrimination against Hazaras, with hopes that it will prompt urgent international action to ensure fair aid distribution and protect vulnerable communities from ongoing abuses.
