The United Nations urges the Taliban to end oppressive restrictions against women

Most of the UN Security Council countries have once again called on the Taliban to immediately end restrictions on women and girls. This includes recent measures to restrict women aid workers.

“We urge the Taliban to immediately withdraw all their oppressive measures against women and girls,” said Japanese Ambassador Ishikane Kimihiro, representing the 11 members, after a meeting of the Security Council on Friday. .

The countries called on the Taliban to “respect the rights of women and girls, and ensure their full, equal and meaningful participation and involvement in all aspects of Afghan society, including the political, economic, educational and public spheres”. ‘. However, Security Council members like Russia, China, Ghana and Mozambique did not support this statement.

United Arab Emirates Ambassador Lana Nasibih together with Japan had demanded this meeting. After the meeting, he said the “key points” were that humanitarian work in Afghanistan was essential and that the Security Council was committed to dialogue with the Taliban to “try to help improve the situation on the ground.” Be able to”.

UN Special Envoy for Afghanistan Roza Otanbayfa told the Security Council that the Taliban’s recent sanctions were in stark contrast to their past assurances that they would respect the human rights of women and girls.

He said that one of the worst effects it has had at the moment is that humanitarian aid cannot be delivered during the winter due to it.

Several international aid agencies, including the Norwegian Refugee Council, CARE, World Vision and Islamic Relief, have suspended their work in Afghanistan since December 24 on the grounds that they cannot effectively serve the local population without women on their teams. can do However, the United Nations says that its agencies will continue to do their work in Afghanistan.

The head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, Jan Egeland, visited Afghanistan this week to try to persuade the Taliban to end restrictions on female aid workers.

In an interview with DW, he said, “I have met several Taliban leaders, several ministers, several religious scholars and leading figures of the Taliban in Kabul. Surprisingly, many of them agree with me that it would be possible for us as an aid organization to work with our female colleagues.

John Egeland, however, said that the hard-line Taliban currently “have the upper hand” on the issue, but some Taliban leaders also understand the harms of restrictions on women. “They also agree that restricting women’s education will be very harmful,” he said.