UNSC concerned over Taliban's restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan

The UN Security Council under the current presidency of India has voiced concern over restrictions on women and girls education and work imposed by the Taliban in Afghanistan calling for a swift reversal of these policies which increasingly eroded respect for human rightsThe Taliban have banned women from attending university and working for nongovernmental organisations NGOs last weekSince seizing back control of the wartorn country in August last year the Taliban have steadily restricted womens rights despite promising their rule this time would be softer than the regime seen in the 1990sAlso read Women protest against Taliban ban on university education of female studentsIndias Ambassador to the UN and currently the UNSC President for the month of December Ruchira Kamboj issued a press statement on Tuesday on behalf of the 15nation Council that said that its members are deeply alarmediquest by reports that the Taliban have suspended access to universities for women and girlsThe Council reiterated its deep concern over the suspension of schools beyond the 6th grade as well as its call for the full equal and meaningful participation of women and girls in Afghanistan It called on the Taliban to reopen schools and swiftly reverse these policies and practices which represents an increasing erosion for the respect of human rights and fundamental freedomsThe members are furthermore iquestprofoundly concerned by reports that the Taliban have banned female employees of NGOs and international organisations from going to work which would have a significant and immediate impact on humanitarian operations in the country including those of the UN and the delivery of aid and health work the statement saidIt said these restrictions contradict the commitments made by the Taliban to the Afghan people as well as the expectations of the international communityIndias current Presidency of the Council and its twoyear UNSC tenure end on December 31During Indias Presidency of the Security Council in August last year the Council adopted resolution 2593 that had set forth expectations of the international community regarding Afghanistan including ensuring that the territory of the country is not used to launch terrorist attacks against other nations formation of a truly inclusive and representative government combating terrorism and drug trafficking and preserving the rights of women children and minoritiesUN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres had last week said he is deeply disturbed by the reported order of the de facto Taliban authorities banning women from working for national and international nongovernmental organisationsThis decision will undermine the work of numerous organisations working across the country helping those most vulnerable especially women and girls a statement issued by his spokesperson saidIt noted that the UN and its partners including national and international nongovernmental organisations are helping more than 28 million Afghans who depend on humanitarian aid to surviveThe effective delivery of humanitarian assistance requires full safe and unhindered access for all aid workers including womenThe reported ban on women working with the international community to save lives and livelihoods in Afghanistan will cause further untold hardship on the people of Afghanistan Guterres had said reiterating that the rights of all women to participate in the workforce contributed to the greater goodUN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous said in a statement that the de facto authorities of Afghanistan have once again found new ways to harm the women and girls of AfghanistanAs the world remains outraged by recent decisions to ban women and girls from higher education the decree barring women from working in national and international NGOs is yet another iqueststark violationiquest of womens rights and humanitarian principles she saidWe strongly condemn this without reservation Bahous saidThis is relentless misogyny a virulent attack on women their contribution their freedom and their voice It is yet another repudiation of every norm and standard of womens human rights and respect for human dignityThe Security Council reiterated its full support to the Special Representative of the SecretaryGeneral for Afghanistan Roza Otunbayeva and the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan UNAMA and the importance for Otunbayeva to carry out her mandate including monitoring and reporting on the situation and continued engagement with all relevant Afghan political actors and stakeholders including relevant authorities on these issues consistent with the mandate of UNAMA and keeping the Security Council informed on the progressBahous said that in barring women from contributing to the efforts of aid organisations the Taliban suspended aid for half the population of Afghanistan aid that they depended on and without which they will not surviveShe said 116 million women and girls are no longer receiving vital assistance Womenheaded households which make up almost a quarter of households in Afghanistan have nowhere left to turn and no livelihood supportMany national and international NGOs are unable to operate without their female staff Bahous said adding that all services for women are impacted including their access to water sanitation hygiene protection mobile health food shelter and livelihoodsThe consequences of this are further increasing the vulnerability of women and girls already at risk as services for survivors of violence or to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse are shut downThousands of children and families who depended on the income that women delivering humanitarian assistance brought in are now even more destitute the UN Women chief saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter 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