Most sections under the profile on children have not been reviewed in the current update. While there is limited specific new information, it is considered likely that previous conclusions with regard to children remain largely valid.

An element to take into account is that it is not currently clear whether the Taliban government intends to adhere to international treaties that Afghanistan has previously entered into. Similarly, there is no clarity regarding the status and relevance of pre-existing national laws. However, it can be noted that in the past proposed national laws regarding children’s rights have been blocked due to a disagreement over ‘the definition of a child as under-18’, which has been seen as a contravention to the Sharia.