Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary-general, has said that violations of the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan are increasing and that they face severe restrictions.
Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting on Tuesday, October 27, Guterres said girls were being denied the education they need, which is their fundamental right.
He highlighted rising violence and discrimination in conflict-affected areas and stressed the importance of women’s participation in peace negotiations.
Guterres added that women leaders, politicians, journalists and human rights defenders were being marginalized and targeted.
The UN secretary-general called for increased financial support for women-led organizations and for those responsible for violence against women to be held accountable.
Meanwhile, Tammy Bruce, the US deputy representative to the United Nations, has also condemned the Taliban’s restrictions on women and girls and called for them to end immediately.
She added that over the past five years, the Taliban had reversed decades of progress made by Afghan women in peace and security.
Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, women and girls in the country have faced widespread restrictions on education, higher education and employment.
