The UN Security Council on Tuesday expressed its “deep concern” over the Taliban’s ban on women in Afghanistan working for non-governmental organizations, warning of the “significant and immediate impact” on humanitarian operations.
The 15 members of the Security Council stressed this Tuesday, in a statement, that they are also “deeply alarmed” by the Afghan regime’s decision to suspend women’s access to university.
This statement was added today to a similar position conveyed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, and UN Women, who stressed that “the de facto authorities in Afghanistan have found new ways to harm women and girls in Afghanistan.
“This is relentless misogyny, a virulent attack on women, their contribution, their freedom and their voice,” UN Women Director Sima Bahous said in a statement.
“No country can develop or survive socially and economically with half of its population excluded,” the UN High Commissioner said in a statement.
The United Nations Security Council recalled that the restrictions go against the commitments assumed by the Taliban with the Afghan people, as well as the expectations of the international community.
The highest UN body also reiterated its support for the special representative of the UN Secretary General, Rosa Otunbayeva, and for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which she heads, and stressed the importance of being able to comply with his mandate. , including by monitoring and reporting on the situation.
UNAMA on Monday called for women to return to their jobs in non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Afghanistan after the Taliban ban.
UN Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative Ramiz Alakbarov met with Taliban Finance Minister Mohammad Hanif “to call for the reversal of the decision to ban women from humanitarian work by national and international NGOs.” , said. Unama on the social network Twitter.
“Millions of Afghans need humanitarian assistance and it is essential to remove the barriers,” the UN agency added.
Last week, the Taliban authorities suspended university education for women, sparking international outrage and demonstrations in Afghan cities, especially after they announced the exclusion of women from NGO activities.
More than half of the population – around 24 million people – depends in one way or another on humanitarian aid.
Despite promises that they would be more flexible, the Taliban reverted to an ultra-strict interpretation of Islam, marking their first step to power (1996-2001).
Source: TSF
