KABUL: The United Nations (UN) deputy secretary-general discussed women’s rights with the acting minister for foreign affairs of Afghanistan on Wednesday following the Taliban banned most women aid workers and stopped girls and women from attending university and high school.
UN top officials and women’s rights in Afghanistan
Amina Mohammed has also met with UN officials, aid groups and Afghan women “to take stock of the situation, convey solidarity, and discuss ways to promote and protect women’s and girls’ rights.
Deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said in New York that UN deputy secretary-general Amina Mohammed has also held meeting with UN officials, aid groups and Afghan female to take stock of the circumstances, express solidarity, discuss ways to protect, promote girls’ and women’s rights in Afghanistan.
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Haq said added that Amina Mohammed stressed the need to support human rights, especially for girls and women and was “encouraged by exemptions” to the ban on women aid workers. The exemptions have permitted some work to restart in some areas like healthcare.
She also highlighted the significance of continuing to be driven by principles. On her way to Afghanistan’s capital Kabul, she met officials in Pakistan, Qatar, and Turkey to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.
According to Reuters, Farhan Haq did not say which Taliban official, she had met so far, however, an Afghan official said that she held meeting with acting minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
The minister said that they are travel restrictions on Taliban leaders, lack of formal recognition, and banking sanctions were causing issues that should be addressed by other countries, a foreign ministry statement said. Muttaqi further added that female were able to work in health and education sectors.
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The Taliban rulers on December, 24 asked foreign and local aid groups to stop women staff from working until next order. Earlier, Taliban banned female from universities and schools. Several aid organizations, some of whom carry out operation under contracts with the UN, stopped work following the ban.
