Afghan citizens, particularly women and girls, are calling on Georgette Gagnon, the newly appointed deputy head of political affairs for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), to prioritize addressing the Taliban’s restrictive policies.
These appeals come as Afghan women continue to face severe limitations on their rights, particularly in education and employment, under the Taliban’s rule.
Gagnon, a Canadian with over 28 years of experience in conflict settings, was appointed on September 3 by UN Secretary-General António Guterres. She will serve as Deputy Special Representative for Political Affairs at UNAMA, tasked with leading efforts to foster peace and political stability in the country. Gagnon’s appointment comes at a time of growing concern over the Taliban’s treatment of women since the group regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021.
Afghan women are pressing Gagnon to focus on alleviating their plight. “We call on the new UNAMA deputy to pay more attention to the situation of women and to convey the voice of Afghan women accurately to the UN and the world,” said Fariha, a resident of Herat. Another woman from the same city, Muzhdha, echoed the sentiment, urging Gagnon to “engage in dialogue with the government or put pressure on it to lift the restrictions on education, work, and other decrees that have affected women’s lives.”
Gagnon brings a wealth of experience in peacebuilding, human rights, and humanitarian work. Since 2021, she has served as Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya in the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), and as Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Libya. Her extensive background includes previous roles at the United Nations and with various non-governmental organizations, focusing on the protection of civilians, human rights, and the rule of law in conflict zones such as Africa, Syria, and the Balkans. Notably, she was the Director of Human Rights for UNAMA from 2010 to 2015, based in Kabul.
Her education includes a Bachelor of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University in Toronto and a Master of Laws in International Human Rights Law from the University of Essex in the United Kingdom.
As Gagnon steps into her new role, Afghan citizens, particularly women, hope she will be a strong advocate for their rights in a country where their freedoms have increasingly been curtailed.
