Web Desk (MNN); The United Nations on Sunday pressed the Taliban authorities to immediately revoke their ban preventing Afghan women from working in UN offices, warning that the policy endangers essential humanitarian operations.
Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on women, barring them from secondary education, most types of employment, public parks, and beauty salons.
In September, authorities intensified the curbs by prohibiting Afghan women employed by the UN from entering its offices across the country.
Susan Ferguson, the UN Women representative in Afghanistan, said in a statement that the organisation is urging the Taliban to reverse the ban to ensure women staff and contractors can safely access UN premises and field locations.
She warned that prolonging these restrictions threatens the continuity of critical, life-saving assistance, and violates fundamental UN principles of equality and human rights.
Although the UN did not disclose the number of affected staff, internal sources suggested that several hundred Afghan women are impacted by the ban.
Over the last three months, many have been forced to work remotely, providing support to earthquake victims as well as Afghans returning from Pakistan and Iran.
Ferguson stressed that their presence is vital, saying that only women staff can safely and appropriately provide services to Afghan women and girls.
Taliban officials have not yet responded to AFP’s request for comment.
Earlier in September, the UN refugee agency halted cash assistance for returning Afghan migrants, saying it could not carry out interviews or gather information from over half of returnees, most of whom were women.
