KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A number of international officials and organizations have expressed support for Afghan women and girls as the world marks International Women’s Day, praising their resilience and calling for greater protection of their rights.
Richard Lindsay, the United Kingdom’s special envoy for Afghanistan, said Britain stands alongside Afghan women and girls. In a message posted on X (Twitter) on Sunday, he addressed women and girls in Afghanistan, saying: “Your rights matter for your families, communities and the future of Afghanistan.”
He added that the UK remains committed to ending violence against women and girls and placing them at the center of its foreign policy.
Meanwhile, the delegation of the European Union in Afghanistan said the courage of Afghan women in the face of major challenges continues to inspire the world. In a message marking International Women’s Day, the EU said it honors the “strength, resilience and dignity” of Afghan women and girls.
The EU delegation also said the bloc remains committed to supporting the dignity, resilience and economic participation of women and girls in Afghanistan.
The UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, also paid tribute to Afghan women, including displaced and returnee women who are rebuilding their lives despite significant challenges. The agency said it remains committed to working alongside Afghan women to support their protection and future.
In a separate message, Amnesty International South Asia said countless women and girls in Afghanistan are being forced to become invisible and give up their identities but stressed that their voices “cannot – and will not – be silenced.”
Meanwhile, UN Women said many women who lead their households in Afghanistan face some of the greatest barriers to meeting their families’ basic needs. The organisation urged the international community not to treat the situation as normal, stressing that when Afghan women gain access to food and humanitarian assistance, meaningful change remains possible.
UN Women also highlighted that Afghan women face wide-ranging restrictions, from education and employment to participation in public life. In a message marking International Women’s Day, the organization said the world must not become accustomed to these conditions and called for continued efforts to support Afghan women and push for change.
The statements come as women and girls in Afghanistan continue to face sweeping restrictions imposed by the Taliban since their return to power in 2021. The group has banned girls from education beyond the sixth grade and later closed universities to women. It has also barred women from working in government institutions and both domestic and international non-governmental organisations, including United Nations offices.
In addition, the Taliban have imposed wide-ranging limits on women’s presence in public life and have suppressed protests by women. United Nations experts have described the Taliban’s policies targeting Afghan women as a “crime against humanity” and warned they could amount to “gender apartheid.”
