The UN Security Council (UNSC) has unanimously condemned a ban by the Taliban on Afghan women working for the United Nations in Afghanistan, calling on Taliban leaders to “swiftly reverse” a crackdown on the rights of women and girls.
The resolution—drafted by the United Arab Emirates and Japan—describes the ban as “unprecedented in the history of the United Nations” and says it “undermines human rights and humanitarian principles.” The resolution also asserts “the indispensable role of women in Afghan society.” “We will not stand for the Taliban’s repression of women and girls,” The United States deputy ambassador to the UN, Robert Wood, told the UNSC. “These decisions are indefensible. They are not seen anywhere else in the world.”
Earlier this month, the Taliban began enforcing the ban on Afghan women working for the UN after stopping most women working for humanitarian aid groups in December. Since toppling the Western-backed government in 2021, the group has also tightened controls on women’s access to public life, including barring women from university and closing girls’ high schools.
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