The UN Security Council has passed a resolution calling on the radical Islamic Taliban to end their anti-women policies. The draft resolution by Council members Japan and the United Arab Emirates received all 15 member state votes on Thursday.
The text states that the most powerful UN body “calls for the full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of women and girls in Afghanistan”. At the same time, the Taliban are urged to “urgently reverse” the restrictions on women’s fundamental rights.
The Security Council also condemned the decision by the de facto rulers of Afghanistan to ban women from working for the United Nations in the country. Despite the binding nature of the Security Council resolutions under international law, the Taliban are not expected to change their policy.
In early April, the United Nations announced that the ruling Taliban had ordered Afghan women no longer to work for them. The Islamists have banned Afghan women from working in non-governmental organizations since December, with the exception of the areas of health, education and nutrition. The ban had provoked strong reactions both domestically and internationally.
Since taking power in August 2021 and the chaotic withdrawal of international forces, the Taliban have drastically curtailed human rights. Their rule has recently become increasingly authoritarian and dogmatic. They are extremely repressive of all forms of opposition to their regime. Women’s access to education, work, and even public spaces for travel or medical care has been severely restricted.