UN Security Council Members from 40 Countries Condemn Taliban’s Policies Against Women

Representatives of 40 United Nations member states in the Security Council released a joint statement strongly condemning the Taliban administration’s policies towards women and girls in Afghanistan. On Wednesday, 10 March, coinciding with International Women’s Day, these countries expressed their support for Afghan women and called for the protection of their fundamental rights.

The statement was issued ahead of a briefing session of the Security Council on the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) during a press conference. The session focused on the human rights situation of women in the country and the extensive restrictions imposed following the Taliban’s return to power.

The declaration was made by countries operating within the framework of “Joint Commitments on Women, Peace, and Security” and members of the “Friends of Women, Peace, and Security” group at the United Nations. These countries described the systematic violations of the rights of Afghan women and girls as deeply concerning and expressed solidarity with them.

Part of the statement emphasized that depriving girls of education and barring women from work not only violate their fundamental rights but also have serious long-term social and economic consequences for Afghanistan’s future. Several years after the Taliban’s return to power, the restrictions on women persist, and repeated international calls to revoke these policies have so far gone unanswered.