OCHA, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, has stated in its latest announcement on the occasion of World Humanitarian Day that women and girls in Afghanistan, after more than four years, continue to face oppressive restrictions.
In a newly released report, the agency said that women and girls in Afghanistan are still deprived of education, work, and public life.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs further emphasized that providing humanitarian assistance to women and girls under these circumstances is vital.
World Humanitarian Day arrives as half of Afghanistan’s population depends on humanitarian aid for survival.
A part of OCHA’s report states: “On this day in particular, the people of Afghanistan are facing multiple and complex crises. In recent months, geopolitical developments and regional tensions have led to the return of nearly two million Afghan citizens from Iran and Pakistan, many of whom have returned involuntarily.”
OCHA has also warned about the reduction in humanitarian aid and the ongoing droughts in Afghanistan.
This comes as, following the return to power of the current government in Afghanistan, women and girls have been deprived of their most fundamental rights, including education, employment, and individual freedoms.
As a result of the current administration’s actions, millions of schoolgirls have been prevented from accessing 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, including UN offices in Afghanistan.
