UN warns of systematic exclusion of Afghan women from public life

Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women, addressed the UN Security Council regarding the role of women in peace and security, highlighting the systematic exclusion of women and girls from public life in Afghanistan. Bahous noted that women are being deprived of their roles in shaping the country's future, even as they bear the heaviest burdens of war and displacement.

According to Bahous, women's participation in peace processes is declining; last year, women made up only 5% of negotiators across 57 reviewed processes. Furthermore, nearly 80% of active negotiations were conducted without any female representation. None of the 13 ceasefire agreements reached last year included substantive mentions of women or prohibitions on sexual violence, despite a doubling of conflict-related sexual violence.

The briefing also highlighted the humanitarian risks facing women in conflict zones, noting that 756 million women and girls live within 50 kilometers of armed conflict. In these areas, the risk of death from preventable pregnancy and childbirth complications is five times higher than in stable regions, and the likelihood of girls remaining in school is halved.