UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned a Taliban decision banning Afghan women in the country from working with the United Nations. “This violates the inalienable human rights of women,” said his spokesman Stéphane Dujarric on Wednesday (local time) in New York.
The Taliban’s regulation violates the UN Charter with its principle of non-discrimination. The UN Secretary-General called on the Taliban to lift the ban and withdraw all measures restricting the rights of women and girls to work, education and freedom of movement.
It’s about fundamental human rights
A Taliban ban on women working in non-governmental organizations has been in effect since December. However, female employees of the UN were initially exempt from the regulation. The ban had provoked strong reactions both domestically and internationally.
The director of the UN women’s organization UN Women, Sima Bahous, called on the Taliban government to withdraw all discriminatory measures against women and girls in Afghanistan. “We emphasize their inalienable, fundamental human rights, which are set out in the UN Charter,” Bahous said on Wednesday. We will continue to support Afghan women and girls. The UN did not intend to replace its staff with men.
The executive director of the UN children’s fund Unicef ??also condemned the de facto ban on women working with the UN. “Women workers are vital to the success of our work. Without them, the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding inside Afghanistan will only get worse and more children will die,” Catherine Russell said in a statement Wednesday. Women would have access to the most vulnerable groups that men could not reach, including children, the sick, the elderly and people with disabilities.
Breach of applicable international law
The UN forces on the ground also criticized the Taliban’s decision, which is effective immediately. The ban violates applicable international law and cannot be accepted by the United Nations. In the history of the UN, no other regime has ever barred women from working solely because of their gender, according to a statement by the UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
Since taking power again in Afghanistan in August 2021, the militant Islamists have massively restricted women’s rights. The Taliban have banned women from all universities. The Islamists restricted schooling for girls just a few months after taking power.
The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is considered precarious. The economy has collapsed since international troops withdrew. According to the United Nations, the UN and its partners, including national and international NGOs, are currently assisting more than 28 million Afghans who depend on humanitarian aid for their survival. An estimated 37 million people live in the country.
