UNAMA: Restrictions on Women Hinder Investment and Global Engagement with Afghanistan

Image: © AFP / Getty Images

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) says the Taliban’s severe restrictions on women and girls have had profound social and economic consequences and have become one of the main obstacles to expanding international engagement and investment in Afghanistan.

The mission stressed that lasting peace and prosperity are not possible without the full participation of women in education, work and public life.

In a statement marking the fifth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power, UNAMA said that despite a reduction in armed conflict in Afghanistan, increasing restrictions on women and girls continue to hinder the country’s reconstruction and progress.

Georgette Gagnon, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Officer-in-Charge of UNAMA, said that “lasting peace and prosperity cannot be achieved simply through the absence of conflict” and that Afghanistan’s future depends on a society in which the rights and capacities of all citizens are respected and institutions are responsible and accountable.

She called on the Taliban to lift restrictions imposed on women and girls so they can fully participate in education, work and public life, and so their fundamental rights and freedoms are protected.

According to the UNAMA statement, the Taliban’s restrictions on women and girls have not only affected their lives, but have also created immediate and long-term social and economic consequences for Afghanistan as a whole. The mission said the continuation of these restrictions has also reduced Afghanistan’s opportunities to attract international support, cooperation and investment.

UNAMA also cited restrictions on civic space and freedom of expression, as well as restrictions imposed on female employees of humanitarian organisations and the United Nations, as factors limiting Afghanistan’s access to international support and cooperation.

The mission said that since 2021, the United Nations has continued to support the people of Afghanistan by providing humanitarian assistance, essential services and engagement in political and human rights areas.

At the same time, UNAMA called on the international community to continue its engagement with Afghanistan in a principled and practical manner. According to the mission, such engagement should support the aspirations of the Afghan people and help create conditions for the country’s reintegration into the international community.

The statement comes five years after the Taliban returned to power, with women and girls in Afghanistan continuing to face widespread restrictions on education, work and participation in public life. UNAMA stressed that lifting these restrictions is essential not only for women’s rights, but also for Afghanistan’s stability, development and economic future.