Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, has recently stated that Afghanistan, due to restrictions on women’s and girls’ access to health services, has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world.
Mr. Türk made these remarks at the opening of the 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council, saying that Afghanistan’s de facto authorities have not only restricted women’s access to health services but have also violated many of their human rights.
He further emphasized: “Over the past year, the exclusion of women and girls from public life has become almost complete.”
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also referred to the expulsion of Afghan migrants from Iran, Pakistan, and several other countries, adding that policies and practices violating the rights of migrants and refugees are becoming normalized in some states.
It is noteworthy that since taking control of Afghanistan, the current authorities have deprived women and girls of education. In their latest restriction, they closed the doors of medical institutes to female students, despite the severe shortage of health personnel in the country.
This action has left millions of school-aged girls without access to education.
In addition, women have been banned from going to gyms, restaurants, public baths, being examined by male doctors, traveling without a male guardian, and working in national and international NGOs, as well as UN offices in Afghanistan.
Currently, Afghanistan is facing a severe humanitarian crisis, with half of the population in need of humanitarian aid. At the same time, the mass expulsion of Afghan migrants from neighboring countries has further worsened the situation.
Meanwhile, UN agencies have warned about the shortage of female doctors in the country.
