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The UN has urged the Taliban government in Afghanistan to end restrictions on its female staff members attending work, warning that aid efforts for earthquake survivors and vulnerable populations are in jeopardy. The Taliban security forces have blocked Afghan women employees from entering UN offices and fields by stationing personnel at entrances, the UN reported. The Taliban spokesperson has yet to respond to inquiries.
Afghanistan is facing a tough recovery from a devastating earthquake that struck at the end of August, claiming over 2,200 lives, amid the return of millions of refugees expelled from Pakistan and Iran, along with a severe drought in northern regions. Since taking power in 2021, the Taliban has increasingly restricted women’s employment, including in NGOs, although these measures were not previously strictly enforced for UN workers. The regime has also banned girls from high school and women from university.
Despite these restrictions, the UN has managed to deliver aid through provisional arrangements that prioritize culturally sensitive and principles-based approaches, enabling women to assist women in need. The Taliban claims to respect women’s rights within their interpretation of Sharia law and assures that aid will reach women.
However, during the earthquake response, female humanitarian workers face Taliban-imposed travel restrictions requiring a male guardian, complicating access to women in need. The UN has issued an emergency appeal for $140 million to support earthquake victims. Since the UN charter prohibits gender discrimination, donor nations are concerned, especially as global crises like those in Ukraine and Gaza divert aid resources away from Afghanistan’s pressing needs.
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