UN: Afghanistan is the most repressive country for women

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) — Since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, the country has become the most repressive country in the world for women and girls, deprived of many of their basic rights, the United Nations said on Wednesday. United.

In a statement con motivation del Día Internacional de la Mujer, the mission of the UN reported that los nuevos gobernantes de Afganistán han mostrado enfoque “casi singular en la imposition de norms que dejan a la mayoría de las mujeres y niñas atrapadas de facto en his houses”.

Despite initial promises of a more moderate stance, the Taliban have cracked down since seizing power in August 2021, coinciding with the withdrawal of US and NATO forces from the country after two decades of war.

They banned girls’ education beyond sixth grade and banned women’s access to public spaces like parks and gymnasiums. Women are also banned from working in national and international non-governmental organizations and have been ordered to cover themselves from head to toe.

“Under the Taliban regime, Afghanistan remains the most repressive country in the world when it comes to women’s rights,” said Roza Otunbayeva, special representative of the UN secretary general and head of mission in the country.

“It has been painful to watch your methodical, deliberate and systematic efforts to drive Afghan women and girls out of the public sphere,” she added.

The restrictions, particularly the ban on education and NGO work, have drawn fierce international condemnation. But the Taliban gave no indication of backing down, saying the bans are temporary suspensions, supposedly necessary because women did not properly wear the Islamic headscarf, or hijab, and because gender segregation rules do not were not respected.

Regarding the ban on university education, the Afghan government indicated that some of the subjects taught were not in line with Afghan and Islamic values.

“Confining half the country’s population to their homes in one of the world’s greatest humanitarian and economic crises is a colossal act of national self-harm,” Otunbayeva said.

“This will not only condemn women and girls, but all Afghans, to poverty and aid dependency for generations,” she added. “This will further isolate Afghanistan from its own citizens and from the rest of the world.”

The UN mission in Afghanistan also said it had witnessed an almost constant stream of edicts and discriminatory measures against women since the Taliban took power: women’s right to travel or working beyond the confines of their homes and access to spaces are mostly restricted, and they have also been excluded from decision-making at all levels.

“The consequences of the harm the Taliban inflicts on its own citizens goes beyond women and girls,” said Alison Davidian, UN Women’s Special Representative in Afghanistan.

No Taliban-led government official was immediately available for comment.

The UN Security Council will meet later Wednesday with Otunbayeva and with women representatives from Afghan civil society groups.

According to the statement, 11.6 million Afghan women and girls are in need of humanitarian assistance. However, the Taliban further undermines international relief efforts by banning women from working for NGOs.