The safety, well-being and full participation of women and girls are fundamental to Afghanistan’s future stability and prosperity, Richard Lindsay, Britain’s special envoy to Afghanistan, said during a visit to Kabul this week, where he met women, civil society representatives and Taliban officials.
According to a statement by the UK government, Lindsay said the visit provided an opportunity to hear directly from Afghan women about their experiences, challenges and aspirations amid continuing restrictions imposed by the Taliban.
“Their voices must help shape Afghanistan’s future, and the international community’s ongoing engagement,” Lindsay said.
“The safety, well-being and full participation of women and girls is fundamental to Afghanistan’s future stability and prosperity,” he added. “Enabling women to work and contribute across all sectors is not only a matter of rights, but of economic necessity for the country.”
According to the statement, Lindsay met a diverse group of Afghan women from a range of professions during his visit.
The statement said the discussions offered valuable insights into the challenges women face and would help ensure that UK policies and programs reflect the needs of the broader Afghan population.
“This visit was an important opportunity to hear directly from Afghan women about their experiences, challenges and hopes for the future,” Lindsay said. He described the women he met as resilient, creative and determined.
The visit comes as the Taliban continue to enforce sweeping restrictions on women and girls, including bans on secondary and higher education for girls and extensive limits on women’s employment and participation in public life.
Lindsay also raised concerns about humanitarian supplies stranded in Pakistan because of border closures and broader regional instability.
According to the British government, the delays are putting more than one million Afghan mothers, boys and girls at risk of malnutrition and are disrupting the delivery of critical humanitarian assistance.
“I also raised serious concerns about the humanitarian impact of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border closure and wider regional instability,” Lindsay said.
He urged efforts to reopen border crossings for humanitarian aid and called for the establishment of humanitarian corridors to ensure assistance reaches vulnerable communities without delay.
“It is essential that humanitarian supplies are able to reach those in need without delay, including through the reopening of border crossings and establishment of humanitarian corridors,” he said.
The envoy also stressed the importance of a sustained cease-fire to enable safe and consistent humanitarian access to civilians affected by conflict and instability.
The United Kingdom remains one of Afghanistan’s major humanitarian donors and has continued engagement with Taliban on humanitarian and human rights issues, despite not formally recognizing their rule.
