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UNAMA head highlights importance of women in science to tackle challenges
On the occasion of International Day of Women in Science, UN Special Representative for Afghanistan Roza Otunbayeva on Sunday emphasized the importance of empowering women and girls in science to tackle both national and global challenges.
“Empowering women and girls in science in Afghanistan unlocks half of the nation’s potential to address pressing challenges like climate resilience and sustainable development,” Otunbayeva said. “We must push for this empowerment today, and every day.”
Secondary school and university education is suspended for girls in Afghanistan by the Islamic Emirate.
UNESCO has also stressed the importance of participation of women in science, “breaking stereotypes and challenging biases.”
“Let’s embrace diversity and empower women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) for a brighter, more inclusive future!” it said.
The Islamic Emirate says that efforts are being made to provide opportunities for knowledge acquisition for all regardless of gender.
“International day of science is important for both women and men. Science is a part of today’s life, and at the right time, efforts will be made to provide everyone with the opportunity to acquire knowledge. If the suitable conditions are created, Allah willing, it will be resolved,” said Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Islamic Emirate.
The US Embassy Kabul also said on X that Afghan women and girls need to be recognized for being just as capable as anyone in science if given a chance.
“Empowering women and girls in science contributes to a brighter future for Afghanistan,” the embassy, which is based in Doha, said.
Afghanistan’s Minister of Finance, Mohammad Nasir Akhund, has travelled to Iran at the head of a delegation following an official invitation from Iran’s Minister of Agriculture, the Ministry of Finance said.
During the visit, Akhund is expected to meet with various Iranian officials to discuss bilateral economic, trade, customs and other related issues.
The visit will also include discussions on key topics for an upcoming meeting of the joint economic commission between Afghanistan and Iran.
Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, on Saturday inaugurated the rehabilitated 110-kilovolt (kV) power transmission line connecting Maimana and Andkhoy in Faryab province.
According to the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office for Economic Affairs, the completion of the project will provide around 60,000 consumers with a more stable and reliable electricity supply.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Baradar said the project would help meet local electricity needs, expand industrial activities and contribute to the region’s economic and social development.
He said the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) had implemented several electricity generation and transmission projects in a relatively short period, reducing reliance on imported electricity and power outages while creating new opportunities for industrial growth.
Baradar also said several major electricity infrastructure projects would be implemented over the next year to ensure a sustainable power supply, adding that the country’s existing electricity capacity would increase several times.
Addressing Afghanistan’s security situation, Baradar said the country was currently experiencing a level of security that he claimed was unmatched in most countries. He added that foreign tourists and visitors had continued to travel to Afghanistan since the IEA returned to power, including to remote areas of the country.
He rejected security-related concerns raised by some countries over travel to Afghanistan, describing them as unfounded and politically motivated. He called on the international community to strengthen meaningful engagement with Afghanistan based on realities on the ground.
Baradar also invited domestic and foreign investors to invest in Afghanistan, saying a secure and suitable environment had been created for large- and medium-scale investments.
The UN refugee agency’s representative in Afghanistan has called on the international community to maintain their support for Afghanistan, warning that the return of more than 6.5 million Afghans over the past three years has placed significant pressure on the country.
Arafat Jamal, UNHCR Representative in Afghanistan, made the remarks during the eighth International Conference on Action with Women and Peace in Seoul, South Korea, where he highlighted the challenges facing returnees amid poverty, drought and climate-related disasters.
He said the returning population accounts for around 15 percent of Afghanistan’s total population, describing the influx as one of the world’s largest movements of people. He added that Afghanistan was struggling to absorb the large-scale returns due to its existing economic and humanitarian challenges.
Jamal also highlighted difficulties facing Afghan women, saying that the absence of war does not necessarily mean all citizens enjoy safety.
In a separate interview with The Korea Times during his visit to Seoul, Jamal said supporting refugees and vulnerable countries was not simply an act of charity but an investment in a safer and more stable international environment.
He stressed that Afghanistan’s strategic location, bordering seven countries including China, Pakistan and Iran, makes its stability a matter of wider international concern. Although the country is relatively calm at present, he cautioned that this situation should not be taken for granted without continued international support.
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