A former UN refugee agency center in Afghanistan's Herat province, near the border with Iran. Credit: Mohsen KARIMI / AFP / Profimedia
The United Nations (UN) called on Taliban authorities on Sunday to lift a ban on Afghan women working in its structures, saying the measures put “life-saving services” at risk, reports AFP.
Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, Afghan women have been banned from holding a wide range of jobs, visiting parks and beauty salons, and even going to school after the age of 12.
In September, Taliban authorities banned female staff from entering UN offices.
“We call for the lifting of the ban on female Afghan staff and contractors from entering UN headquarters and their solitary access to offices and the field,” said Susan Ferguson, UN Women's special representative in Afghanistan.
“The longer these restrictions remain in place, the greater the risk to these life-saving services,” Susan Ferguson added, arguing that the restrictions breach UN principles on human rights and equality.
Hundreds of women affected by the ban
The statement does not mention the number of female employees affected by the ban, but UN sources indicated that it is about hundreds of women.
The staff in question have been working remotely for the past three months, particularly providing assistance to earthquake victims and Afghan migrants expelled from Pakistan and Iran, the UN special representative said.
Susan Ferguson said the work of those women was “indispensable”.
“Only through their presence can we reach women and girls safely and provide culturally appropriate assistance,” she added.
Taliban authorities did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment on the situation.
In September, the UN refugee agency suspended the flow of financial aid to returning Afghan migrants, saying it was impossible to interview and gather information on the women, who make up more than 50 percent of the total number of people concerned.
