UN Officials Call on Taliban to Ensure Rights of Women
- Zan News
- 7 days ago
- 2 min read
Alexander De Croo, head of the United Nations Development Programme, and Barham Salih, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, have called for the protection of the basic rights of women and girls in Afghanistan during a meeting with Taliban officials.
The United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said in a statement on Wednesday (8 July) that the two officials met Taliban officials at the end of their joint visit to Afghanistan.
According to the two agencies, the UN officials stressed during the meeting that women and girls must be able to participate fully in Afghanistan’s social and economic life.
They said the presence of women and girls is essential for strengthening families, stabilising communities and improving Afghanistan’s future.
The two UN officials also said female staff of aid organisations must be allowed to reach and assist women and girls, especially women returnees.
The request comes as Afghanistan faces a large wave of returning migrants. According to the joint statement by UNDP and UNHCR, more than six million Afghans have returned to the country since 2023, and around 2.5 million more are expected to return to Afghanistan by the end of 2026.
Barham Salih said nearly half of Afghanistan’s population needs humanitarian assistance. According to him, with the return of millions more Afghans, pressure on families and local communities has increased.
He stressed that emergency assistance alone is not enough, and that Afghanistan’s long term recovery depends on the participation of all Afghans, especially women and girls.
Alexander De Croo also said returnees need work, basic services and opportunities to rebuild their lives. According to him, for those returning to Afghanistan, return is not the end of the road, but the beginning of a new phase.
Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on the education, work and social presence of women and girls. These restrictions have also made the work of aid organisations more difficult. The United Nations has repeatedly said the presence of female staff is essential to deliver assistance to women and girls in Afghanistan.
