Taliban Issued Over 50 Edicts To Suppress Women, Says UN Secretary General

Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, expressing concern about the situation of women in Afghanistan, announced that the Taliban has issued over 50 edicts to suppress women and girls’ rights.

Guterres added that the world is going through turbulent times, and women and girls are facing severe hardships.

In his speech on Tuesday at the 68th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, he emphasised on the improvement of the situation of women, especially in conflict-affected countries.

The Commission on the Status of Women of the United Nations is the largest global gathering on the status of women, held annually at the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York.

The Taliban government, known for its extensive restrictions on women and recognised for its anti-women stance worldwide, has consistently rejected the global community's requests, especially from Islamic countries, to change its edicts.

During the nearly three years of Taliban rule, women have been deprived of many basic rights, including education, employment, sports, travel, and even going to parks.

Women's rights activists have repeatedly called for the recognition of "gender apartheid" in Afghanistan under the Taliban control.

On Sunday, the UN Women's Office expressed concern in a note on its social media account that restrictions on women in Afghanistan are becoming normalised.