A UN Official: Afghan Women Need Immediate Support

In an interview with a Japanese media outlet, he referred to the Taliban's new law mandating that women cover their faces in public spaces and warned that "repression may become even harsher."

Rodriques added, "This is why many call this situation the erasure of women’s faces and voices from society, as these restrictions intensify for women. It shows that their voices should not be heard in public spaces."

He also mentioned the decline in international aid to Afghanistan since 2021, saying, "While the international community has focused on other issues like Ukraine and the Middle East, financial support for Afghanistan has decreased. The budget allocated for places where women can work and support themselves has this year reached less than half of the amount needed."

Rodriques emphasized, "We understand the importance of Gaza, Ukraine, Lebanon, and other regions. But we want to warn that if we ignore what is happening in Afghanistan, and the country remains fragile with worsening conditions, in five years, we will find ourselves back at the point where we started."