UN Secretary-General Meets Afghan Women Rights Activists

A group of Afghan women's rights activists met with Antonio Guterres, the Secretary General of the United Nations.

Asila Wardak, an Afghan women's rights activist, who attended the meeting, told Afghanistan International that Guterres emphasised that the Taliban will not be recognised without ensuring women's right to education and work.

According to Wardak, the UN Secretary-General said that issues related to Afghanistan are on the agenda and a priority for the United Nations.

Guterres added that he intends to engage and support more on the issues related to Afghanistan.

Habiba Sarabi, a member of the peace negotiations team of the previous Afghan government with the Taliban, and Shahrzad Akbar, the former chairperson of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, were also present in this meeting.

It has been said that this is the first meeting of the Secretary General of the United Nations with Afghan women activists after the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan.

In the past two years, the Taliban has imposed extensive restrictions on the lives of Afghan women.

Despite international pressure, the Taliban has not reversed its restrictive measures, especially regarding Afghan women's right to work and education.