(United Nations) The UN Security Council on Thursday called on the Taliban to “rapidly roll back” all restrictions on women, deploring in particular the ban on Afghan women working at the United Nations.
The resolution, adopted unanimously by the 15 members and sponsored by some 90 UN member states, “condemns the Taliban’s decision to ban Afghan women from working for the UN in Afghanistan,” a decision announced at the beginning of April that “undermines human rights.” and humanitarian principles.”
More broadly, the council “calls on the Taliban to quickly reverse policies and practices that restrict women and girls’ full exercise of their basic rights and freedoms, including access to education and employment, their freedom of movement and the enjoyment of their full, equal and meaningful participation by women in public life.”
It also “urges” all countries and organizations to use their influence […] To encourage an urgent reversal of these policies and practices.”
“The world will not remain silent because women in Afghanistan are being erased from society,” said UAE Ambassador Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, who co-wrote the script with Japan.
Highlighting the “catastrophic” economic and humanitarian situation, the resolution “emphasizes the paramount importance of being able to rely on the continued presence of MANUA (UN Mission in Afghanistan) and other UN agencies, funds and programs throughout Afghanistan.”
The board also “recognizes the need to help address the significant challenges facing the Afghan economy, including efforts to enable the use of assets belonging to the Afghan Central Bank for the benefit of the Afghan people.”
After the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, Washington froze $7 billion of Afghan Central Bank assets deposited in the United States. In September, the Americans announced the creation of a fund in Switzerland to manage half of these assets.
Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzia, despite his positive vote, lamented that the West had “stopped” a more “ambitious” approach, especially on this issue. “If you are honest, why don’t you return the stolen assets without preconditions,” he said.
The United Nations announced on April 4 that the Taliban is now banning its Afghan staff, who have so far been exempt from such measures applied to NGOs, from working with the organization across the country.
Since this announcement, MANUA has launched a review of the performance of UN operations in the country, which will run until May 5.
Organized by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres 1any And on May 2 in Doha, a meeting was held with envoys from the various countries responsible for Afghanistan “to invigorate international engagement around common goals towards a sustainable path with regard to the situation in Afghanistan.”
Since their return to power in August 2021, the Taliban have reverted to the hardline interpretation of Islam that marked their first transition to power (1996-2001) and doubled down on brutal measures against women.
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