Taliban orders prevent Afghan women from working with the UN

“Our colleagues on the ground in the UN mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) received word of the order by the de facto authorities that prohibited the national staff members of the UN from working,” Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary General , told reporters at the UN Headquarters during the daily briefing.

“We are still looking at how this development will affect our operations in the country,” he said. “We hope to have more meetings with them so true authority tomorrow in Kabul, on which we are try to find some clarity.”

Following the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban in August 2021, the UN remains committed to standing and delivering, while calling for united support for the people of the country.

Despite initial effective engagements with Taliban leaders, decisions over the last year by the fundamentalist leadership including restrictions on women entering higher educationwork for NGOs, and access to many public places.

Ban ‘unacceptable’: Guterres

When answering questions from the media, Mr. Dujarric said that an official communication from the Taliban leader, showed that order will apply to all countries.

“We hope to hear strong voices from the Security Council” he said, noting that the UN mission operates under his authority.

For the Secretary-General, any such access would be unacceptable we had “inconceivable truth“, said Mr. Dujarric.

‘special’ female worker

The reported decision focussed on the UN staff, just the ones new is a disturbing trend of laws, reducing the ability of aid organizations to reach those most in need, he added.

“It goes without saying, but unfortunately, it needs saying, that is Women workers are essential for the United Nations to deliver life-saving aid,” he said.

“Such a requestas we see today, violate the basic rights of women and violation of the principle of non-discrimination,” he said. “Women staff members are essential to ensure the continuity of UN operations on the ground in Afghanistan.”

An OCHA official talks with displaced women in the eastern province of Nangahar in Afghanistan.

‘Pursue all roads’

Of the 40 million people in Afghanistan, the UN is trying to reach 23 million men, women, and children with humanitarian aid, he said.

“We will continue to pursue all avenues to ensure that we can reach the most vulnerable people, especially women and girls”.

‘Most repressive’ place to be a woman

In March, Roza Isakovna Otunbayeva, UN Special Representative and head of the UNAMA Assistance Committee, told the Security Council that Afghanistan under the Taliban remains “the most radioactive country in the world. [for] women’s rights”.

“There was a time when [the country] need all human capital to recover from decades of war, half of its potential doctors, scientists, journalists, and politicians are closed in their homes, their dreams broken, and receiving their talents,” he said in a briefing to the Council. .