Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, has emphasized the need for the return of Western diplomats to Afghanistan, highlighting the importance of their presence for addressing the rights of women and girls.
Egeland took to social media platform X to express that humanitarian groups are currently underfunded and working in isolation, struggling to manage the crisis in Afghanistan. His remarks came in response to Hugh Bayley, the UK’s commissioner for aid in Afghanistan, who also advocated for the restoration of diplomatic missions in Kabul to support women’s rights.
“Yes, the UK and other donors should send diplomats back to Kabul and join us there to fight for women’s rights, girls’ education, and minority protection,” Egeland said. “As humanitarian groups, we are too alone, underfunded, and overstretched among the 40 million civilians NATO left behind in 2021.”
Following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, many diplomatic missions, primarily from Western countries, evacuated Kabul. These missions continue to operate from third countries.
