U.N. Security Council Urges Taliban to Lift Restrictions on Women/Girls

On February 26, 2024, U.N. Security Council's members urged the Taliban to withdraw all policies that supports oppressing women and girls in the region. The policies like banning girls’ education above the sixth grade and women's right to work should be lifted, so that, women can move freely and live a more gladden life.

More than two-third members of the council demanded this change. Out of 15, 11 members doesn’t support Taliban's repression over women and girls. The council wants full participation of women and girls in every aspect i.e., in public, political, economic, cultural and social life. The council is looking forward to seek international interaction with current rulers of Afghanistan to endorse this proposal.

During a discussion over the conference with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, with more than 25 envoys to Afghanistan, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett the U.N. Ambassador of Guyana, read the statement along with 10 other countries’ ambassadors. The Meeting took place at Qatar’s Doha on February 18-19, 2024.

The meeting was attended by the Afghan civil society representatives including women but the Taliban denied to attend the meeting. Foreign Ministry of Taliban stated that they shall find the participation beneficial if Taliban administration, Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, was the sole and official representative for the country at the talks.

The 11 council nations include:

1. Ecuador
2. France
3. Guyana
4. Japan
5. Malta
6. Sierra Leone
7. Slovenia
8. South Korea
9. Switzerland
10. United Kingdom
11. United States

All these 11 nations emphasized that if the political process is inclusive then only there will be sustainable peace in Afghanistan. All Afghan’s Human rights should be respected including women and girls.

The rest of security nations which didn’t support the demand include:

1. Russia
2. China
3. Mozambique
4. Algeria

Secretary-General António spoken to the reporters in Doha Meeting that there was “total consensus” amongst the participants including the European Union’s representatives, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, on requirements for Afghanistan to be integrated into the international community.

He said, “To reach this ‘endgame’, Afghanistan must not be ‘the hotbed of terrorist activities that impact other countries,’ its institutions must include diverse groups including Uzbeks, Tajiks, Pashtuns and Hazaras, and human rights must be respected especially the rights of women and girls.”

António expressed, “On one hand, Afghanistan remains with a government that is not recognized internationally and, in many aspects, not integrated in the global institutions and in the global economy. And on the other hand, there is in the international community a perception that inclusivity has not improved; that the situation of women and girls and human rights in general has in fact deteriorated in recent times.”

According to António, the participants urged him to initiate the consultations “to see if there are conditions to create a UN envoy that might be able not only to have a coordinating role in relation to the engagements that are taking place but that can also work effectively with the de facto authorities of Afghanistan.”

He stated, “I will initiate immediately those consultations.”

This initiative shall become a big step for the Afghan women and girls. It will bring opportunities and they will get to live in a more gender-inclusive society which will result in a better economy globally.