UNAMA Chief Rabab Fatima begins mission in Afghanistan

Rabab Fatima has formally assumed her duties as the head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), succeeding Roza Otunbayeva. Her arrival comes as the country faces a worsening humanitarian crisis and significant human rights challenges.

In a meeting with Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlavi Amir Khan Muttaqi, Fatima and Muttaqi discussed expanding cooperation between Afghanistan and the United Nations. Key topics included the humanitarian needs of returnees, coordination of assistance, and the importance of ensuring that economic activities and aid remain unaffected by political issues. The discussions also covered climate change, water management, and counter-narcotics efforts.

Fatima’s leadership begins amid documented restrictions on women and girls, limits on media freedoms, and arbitrary detentions. Recent UNAMA reports indicate that the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice detained hundreds of people and mistreated dozens of others between July and September 2026. Additionally, female UN employees remain barred from attending their offices in the country.