United Nations Secretary- General, Antonio Guterres has condemned strongly the Taliban’s decision to ban Afghan women from working with the United Nations in Afghanistan, saying this is a violation of the inalienable fundamental human rights of women.
In a statement attributed to the Secretary-General Spokesperson, adding that this decision also violates Afghanistan’s obligations under international human rights law, and infringes on the principle of non-discrimination, which is a core tenet underpinning the United Nations Charter.
He stated further that female staff members are essential for the United Nations operations, including in the delivery of life-saving assistance. “The enforcement of this decision will harm the Afghan people, millions of whom are in need of this assistance”.
The Secretary-General, Guterres called on the Taliban to immediately revoke the decision and reverse all measures that restrict women’s and girls’ rights to work, education and freedom of movement.
It was reported that UN Spokesperson has earlier stated that the Taliban has issued an order to ban Afghan women employees of the United Nations staff from working throughout Afghanistan.
According to the report, Stephane Dujarric said this was the latest in a “disturbing trend” undermining the ability of aid organisations to work in Afghanistan where some 23 million people, more than half the country’s population, need help.
“UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres would view any ban on Afghan women working for the United Nations in their country as “unacceptable and, frankly, inconceivable”, he said.
The Spokespeople for the Taliban administration and the Afghan information ministry did not immediately reply to requests for comment from the Reuters news agency when filling this report.
Two UN sources told Reuters that concerns about the enforcement of the ban had prompted the United Nations to ask all staff not to come to the office for 48 hours.
“We’re still looking into how this development would affect our operations in the country and we are expecting to have more meetings with the de facto authorities tomorrow in Kabul. We’re trying to seek some clarity. “We do not have anything in writing as of now”, Dujarric said.
The Taliban administration, which seized power as US-led forces withdrew from Afghanistan after 20 years of war, says it respects women’s rights in accordance with its interpretation of Islamic law.
Since toppling the Western-backed government in Kabul, the Taliban have tightened controls over women’s access to public life, including barring women from university and closing most girls’ high schools.
In December 2022, the Taliban authorities stopped most female NGO employees from working, which aid workers said has made it more difficult to reach female beneficiaries and could lead donors to hold back funding.