United Nations urges Taliban to reverse ban on Afghan women

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on the Taliban to reverse the ban on Afghan women working for the UN and to ensure their safe, unhindered access to UN premises across Afghanistan. The demand comes as the one-year anniversary of the prohibition on women accessing UN facilities is marked.

Guterres stated that these discriminatory policies violate fundamental rights and international law, including the UN Charter. He warned that such restrictions undermine the organization’s ability to fulfill its mandate and deliver essential humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people during a period of high need.

The UN emphasized that allowing women to work is critical for providing effective and principled responses to vulnerable populations, particularly women and girls. UN experts have previously warned that institutionalized gender-based repression has deepened under Taliban rule.