Mon Sep 09 16:14:00 UTC 2024: ## Taliban’s Repressive Policies on Women Jeopardize Afghanistan’s Future, Warns UN Rights Chief
**Geneva, Switzerland** – The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has issued a stark warning about the Taliban’s increasingly restrictive policies targeting women and girls in Afghanistan. Türk described the Taliban’s actions as “unparalleled” and a form of “systematic gender persecution,” claiming they will have devastating consequences for the country’s future.
Speaking at the UN Human Rights Council, Türk condemned the new morality laws that ban women from public spaces unless they are fully covered, including their faces, and restrict their access to education, work, and healthcare. He expressed deep concern about the “alarming” restrictions on women’s freedom of movement, stating that they “propel Afghanistan further down a path of isolation, pain and hardship.”
The Taliban, who seized control of Afghanistan in 2021, have continuously tightened restrictions on women’s rights since then, despite initial promises of a more moderate rule. They have banned girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade and barred women from most public jobs. The restrictions on women’s lives come alongside a severe economic crisis that has driven millions into poverty.
Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, echoed these concerns. In his first address since being barred from Afghanistan by the Taliban, Bennett highlighted the recent increase in morality inspectors and tightening restrictions on freedom of movement. He emphasized that the Taliban’s policies are reinforcing an “institutionalized system of sex and gender discrimination, segregation and oppression.”
The situation for children is especially dire, with 12.4 million in desperate need of aid. However, funding shortfalls are significantly hampering the UN’s ability to provide assistance.
The international community is increasingly vocal in its condemnation of the Taliban’s actions. The UN, along with numerous human rights groups, is calling for an end to the repression and the restoration of women’s rights in Afghanistan. The future of the country, they warn, hinges on the Taliban’s willingness to embrace inclusivity and respect for fundamental human rights.
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