UN Women for Afghanistan has responded to the ban on the entry of female staff into the organization’s offices and has called on the caretaker government to lift the restriction on women’s access to offices so that aid can reach women and girls.
In a statement released today (Sunday, Dec 7), the organization said that three months have passed since the ban on female staff entering UN buildings across the country. During these 91 days, female employees have continued their vital work for the people of Afghanistan from their homes.
Susan Ferguson, the UN Women Representative in Afghanistan, said that Afghan women and girls are essential to the work of the United Nations in the country, and that the organization can only access and assist women and girls through their presence.
The UN official further emphasized that aid must be delivered by women and to women.
She also stressed that she strongly opposes the restrictions, as they violate the fundamental principles of human rights and equality enshrined in the UN Charter and weaken the organization’s ability to carry out its mandate.
She added: “We call for the lifting of the ban on Afghan female staff and contractors entering UN premises and for their safe access to offices and the field, so that assistance can reach the women and girls who need it most.”
This comes as the current authorities banned women’s work in non-governmental organizations, including the United Nations, three years ago, while women’s employment in government offices was banned on the first day of their return to power. Despite this ban, women had continued working with UN agencies and some humanitarian organizations.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) announced in the month of Sunbula this year that government forces were preventing female staff from entering the organization’s offices.
The organization also noted that following the ban on women’s access to offices, UN agencies, funds, and programs in Afghanistan have adjusted their operational plans and are currently assessing appropriate options for continuing their activities.
