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Possible ban on UN’s female staff sparks widespread concern
Responding to indications by the UN in Afghanistan that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) plans to stop Afghan women from working for the organization has sparked widespread concern among the international community.
In a tweet on Wednesday, former US special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad said the IEA had to respect women’s rights to education and work in the “public and private” sectors during Doha negotiations.
He said the IEA must fulfill its commitment to the agreement.
Khalilzad also said any decision to ban women from working in UN offices is “wrong” and will increase the suffering of the Afghan people.
According to him, such actions will reduce humanitarian aid to the country and emphasized that a decision of this nature would complicate the interactions of the international community with the IEA and harm the interests of Afghanistan.
“Afghan women have the inalienable right to study and work, these rights are recognized in Islam and international conventions,” Khalilzad tweeted.
Concerns were raised on Tuesday when the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) got to hear that the IEA was clamping down on its female staff.
In a tweet on Tuesday, UNAMA said its female staff in Nangarhar had been stopped from reporting for work. Reuters then reported that the instructions were applicable countrywide.
UNAMA expressed its concern and warned the IEA it would not be able to continue its work without female employees.
UN Secretary-General Guterres tweeted: “I strongly condemn the prohibition of our Afghan female colleagues from working in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province.”
“If this measure is not reversed, it will inevitably undermine our ability to deliver life-saving aid to the people who need it.”
The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, also reacted on his Twitter page and said the IEA decision to ban Afghan women UN staff from working is another gross violation of their fundamental rights, is against the UN Charter and will seriously impact essential services for Afghans. Women staff are essential, he said.
“I urge Taliban (IEA) to reverse the decision immediately,” Bennett tweeted.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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