UN Chief Calls For Uplifting "Outrageous Ban" On Afghan Women’s Education & Work

António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, has declared that the "outrageous ban" obstructing girls' access to education and employment in Afghanistan must be overturned.

Guterres stressed that women and girls in Afghanistan should have a meaningful presence across all life's facets.

In a statement made via his X social media platform on Tuesday, the United Nations Secretary-General advocated for the inclusion of women across the spectrum, from educational environments to the highest echelons of decision-making.

Guterres pointed out the necessity for the international community to ensure that addressing the needs and rights of all Afghan citizens remains a foremost concern for the country's current leadership.

He drew attention to Afghanistan's dire economic predicament, underscoring that the UN's humanitarian aid initiative has garnered less than three percent of its essential funding.

During a United Nations-sponsored meet in Qatar, which spanned two days, Guterres engaged with special envoys from various nations to scrutinise Afghanistan's situation. He remarked that the Taliban's non-participation in the Doha discussions had no detrimental effect, asserting on the substantial utility of these meetings.

Following the Taliban's reassumption of power in August 2021, they instituted extensive prohibitions on women, including shutting down schools for girls beyond the sixth grade and forbidding their attendance at universities and places of employment. Furthermore, the regime restricted women's freedom to travel and access to public spaces like parks and restaurants.

In the ensuing period of over two years, the Taliban have indiscriminately detained and incarcerated numerous women activists and protesters, in addition to many women accused of "improper hijab.”