KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – U.N. Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo has called on Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities to honor women’s rights, warning that Afghanistan risks severe international isolation if these rights continue to be suppressed.
Speaking at a high-level side event of the U.N. General Assembly, DiCarlo emphasized that Afghanistan cannot advance globally without granting women their rightful freedoms.
During her remarks, DiCarlo highlighted the U.N.’s ongoing “Doha process,” which seeks gradual engagement with the Taliban in exchange for more inclusive governance, respect for women’s rights, and intensified efforts in counterterrorism and counter-narcotics. In return, the international community would consider easing restrictions.
However, DiCarlo warned that the Taliban’s recent actions, particularly the introduction of the August “morality law” banning women from public spaces, are endangering the entire process.
“We had member states willing to move forward with a step-for-step approach, but now the process is at risk,” she stated, underscoring that Taliban authorities must meet their international obligations to avoid further isolation.
The side event featured key figures, including Ireland’s Foreign Minister Micheál Martin and Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, who echoed DiCarlo’s concerns.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, in his opening remarks, condemned the “systematic erasure” of Afghan women and girls from public life as a severe violation of human rights. Guterres described the Taliban’s policies as not only gender-based oppression but also as a fundamental obstacle to Afghanistan’s economic self-reliance.
The international community continues to push for the Taliban to honor their commitments, warning that failure to do so could result in Afghanistan’s deepening isolation and the withholding of critical international aid.
DiCarlo stressed that any future cooperation with Afghanistan hinges on the Taliban upholding gender equality and broader human rights obligations.
In comments after the event, DiCarlo reiterated that the Taliban must make significant changes to unlock international support, stating, “The goal is to see the Taliban live up to all of the commitments they have made. Without this, international cooperation will remain out of reach.”
This sentiment reflects the broader stance of the U.N. and its member states, who remain firm in linking international engagement with progress on human rights, particularly for women and girls, in Afghanistan.
