UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the Taliban’s new law, stating that it formalizes the systematic removal of women and girls from public life in Afghanistan.
Speaking at a UN session titled “The Inclusion of Women in the Future of Afghanistan,” Guterres emphasized that Afghan women and girls are now largely confined to their homes, with almost no access to education, employment, or freedom of movement.
“They are even banned from singing or raising their voices in public,” Guterres told participants. “This law is the latest in a series of edicts and decrees that strip Afghan women and girls of their rights and freedoms across all areas of life.”
According to Guterres, Afghan women are facing high rates of gender-based violence, including so-called honor killings, and a rise in maternal mortality. He revealed that many Afghan women have informed the UN that they feel unsafe, isolated, and powerless as they lose the ability to provide for their families or contribute to their communities.
“Many Afghan women speak of losing hope and living like shadows, moving silently in the darkness and always fearing punishment,” he said.
Guterres described the Taliban’s extreme gender-based discrimination as not only a systematic abuse of women and girls and a violation of human rights conventions but also self-destructive on a national scale. He pointed out that excluding women from education, work, and leadership is detrimental to Afghanistan’s development.
“Educating girls is one of the fastest ways to spur economic growth, improve health outcomes, and foster the well-being of communities and societies as a whole,” Guterres said. “Without educated women, without women in leadership, and without recognizing the rights of half its population, Afghanistan will never take its rightful place on the global stage.”
He also highlighted calls from countries and international organizations urging the Taliban to respect the fundamental rights of Afghan women and girls. “I join them in demanding that the de facto authorities immediately lift all discriminatory restrictions and reopen schools and universities to girls beyond grade six,” Guterres stated.
The UN chief reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting Afghan women and girls, praising their “remarkable courage in demanding and pursuing their rights.” He urged the international community to stand in solidarity with Afghan women and pledged that the UN would continue amplifying their voices and advocating for their full participation in Afghan society, both at home and internationally.
