New York, United States.- A dozen members of the UN Security Council urged the Taliban on Friday to suppress “all oppressive measures” against women in Afghanistan, on the sidelines of a closed-door meeting on the situation in the country.
“We urge the Taliban to annul all oppressive measures against women and girls,” Japanese Ambassador Ishikane Kimihiro told the press, speaking on behalf of 11 (out of 15) members of the Security Council (Albania, Brazil, Ecuador, France, Gabon, Japan, Malta, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States). China, Russia, Ghana and Mozambique did not participate in the statement.
The group of countries also urges the Taliban to “respect the rights of women and girls as well as their full, equal and meaningful participation and inclusion in all fields of society, politics, economy, education and the public space”.
The declaration expressly refers to the exclusion of women and girls from schools and universities and the ban on working in national and international NGOs decreed by the Afghan government, which defends an ultra-rigorist vision of Islam.
The latest measure – the ban on work – will mean that “NGOs will not be able to reach people, particularly women and young people, who are most in need of materials and services,” the statement said.
Several humanitarian organizations have decided to suspend their activities due to this ban, announced on December 24 by the Afghan government. However, the UN has decided to continue its operations in the country.
“The situation of women and young people in Afghanistan must remain at the top of the Security Council’s agenda,” recommend the countries that support the declaration.
The Security Council met behind closed doors on Friday to discuss the situation in the country to “discuss a united international response to the actions of the Taliban,” British Ambassador Barbara Woodward said on Twitter ahead of the meeting.
“Our goal is to prevent falling into a humanitarian catastrophe and to emphasize the prohibitions that affect women and girls,” he added.
