UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous has said that the Taliban have once again found new ways to harm Afghan women and girls.
In a statement published last night, December 27, strongly condemning the Taliban’s recent decisions, Sima Bahous termed these decisions ‘relentless misogyny’ against women.
According to Sima Bahous, the ban on women’s education and work is a clear violation of women’s rights and humanitarian norms.
The executive director of the UN Women added that the Taliban suspended the aid that half of Afghanistan’s population depended on by barring women from contributing to the efforts of aid organizations.
According to Sima Bahous, more than 11 million women and girls, including women-headed households, no longer receive vital assistance.
UN Executive Director Sima Bahous emphasised that many national and international non-governmental organizations are unable to operate without their female employees.
However, according to her, the consequences of the Taliban’s recent decision will increase the vulnerability of women and girls already at risk.
“There can be no greater catastrophe in the face of humanitarian crisis than to remove the contribution of half the population in navigating Afghanistan’s daunting challenges.”, part of the statement reads.
Sima Bahous stressed that the United Nations stands in full solidarity with the women and girls of Afghanistan.
Barring women from working in domestic and international organizations in Afghanistan has drawn global-level reactions.
So far, four NGOs, including Save the Children, CARE International, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and International Rescue Committee (IRC) have halted their operations in Afghanistan to protest against the Taliban’s decision to ban women from working in non-governmental organizations.
The Taliban bans on women’s education and work have triggered strong international reactions but the group’s authorities continue to defend their misogynist policies and announce more restrictions.
