RASC News Agency: On Sunday, October 20, World Statistics Day was observed, with the United Nations reiterating its dedication to supporting statistical data systems and reinforcing the global framework for accurate information dissemination. However, since the Taliban’s control over Afghanistan in 2021, the country’s annual statistical yearbook which provided essential data on education, public health, foreign trade, and criminal activity has not been released.
The most recent statistical yearbook, published in early 2022, under the previous Afghanistan Republic, contained a wide range of data, including education statistics, healthcare information, GDP, gender-based violence figures, agricultural productivity, and civil service employment statistics. Although this data was gathered during the previous regime, it was published under Taliban rule. Yet, according to the official page of the National Statistics and Information Authority, no subsequent yearbooks have been published since 2022.
While the United Nations calls for bolstering statistical activities globally, journalists in Afghanistan report that the Taliban severely restrict access to information. Journalists are now deprived of the ability to obtain public records, with the Taliban imposing strict limitations on media outlets. Mirwais Khawarin, a journalist, expressed concern, stating, “Under the Taliban regime, access to information for independent journalists and media is highly restricted. Only individuals aligned with the Taliban’s interests have access to limited data.”
Similarly, another journalist, Zahra Shams, noted, “Since the fall of the previous government, access to information has become extremely limited, preventing the media from fulfilling its duty to the public. Additionally, for over three years, there have been no reports on Afghanistan’s economic growth from global organizations like the World Bank.” Despite international financial institutions releasing annual data on the economic growth of other nations, there is a concerning absence of such information for Afghanistan. To date, the Taliban have not provided official figures regarding the country’s economic progress since assuming control.
