The United Nations has again called on the Taliban to remove restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan, warning that limits on Afghan women’s access to UN offices are also affecting the organization’s operations and humanitarian assistance.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said one year has passed since Afghan women’s access to UN offices was restricted and that the situation has affected the UN’s work and delivery of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan.
Dujarric said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres wants Afghan women to be able to work for the United Nations and to have safe and unhindered access to UN offices across Afghanistan.
The UN is also calling for the full and equal participation of women in Afghan society, as restrictions imposed by the Taliban on women’s education, employment and participation in public life remain a major point of disagreement between the Taliban and the international community.
For the United Nations, the issue extends beyond women’s right to employment. The participation of Afghan women in humanitarian operations has a practical importance because women and children make up a significant proportion of people receiving humanitarian assistance. Restrictions on female humanitarian workers can make it more difficult for aid organizations to reach some families and vulnerable groups effectively.
From a Nimruz perspective, the latest UN warning highlights a broader consequence of the restrictions: measures aimed at limiting women’s participation can also affect the ability of international organizations to deliver essential services. This turns the issue from a question of individual rights into an operational challenge for humanitarian assistance across the country.
The UN’s renewed call for full and equal participation also underlines the continuing gap between Taliban policies and international expectations. As long as restrictions on women’s work and access to international institutions remain in place, they are likely to continue affecting both the lives of Afghan women and the capacity of humanitarian organizations to operate effectively in Afghanistan.
