By Online Service Group

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The United Nations in Afghanistan has called on the de facto Taliban authorities to lift restrictions preventing women national staff from entering UN offices, warning that these measures threaten life-saving humanitarian assistance for hundreds of thousands of people affected by a recent deadly earthquake.

Taliban security forces recently barred women Afghan staff and contractors from accessing UN compounds in Kabul. The restrictions have since been extended to field offices across the country, with security personnel stationed at entrances in Kabul, Herat, and Mazar-i-Sharif to enforce the measures.

“This is particularly concerning in view of continuing restrictions on the rights of Afghan women and girls,” the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a statement.

Since regaining power in 2021, the Taliban have issued numerous edicts limiting women’s rights, including bans on secondary education for girls and restrictions on women working in most sectors, including NGOs.

Source: Reuters

The UN has also reported that women staff are being blocked from travelling to field locations, including earthquake response sites and operational centres assisting Afghan returnees from Iran and Pakistan.

Since January, over 2.4mn people have returned or been forced to return to Afghanistan, according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR. As a result of the restrictions, UNHCR has temporarily suspended activities at sites where returnees receive cash support and other aid, citing the inability to properly serve female returnees without women staff.

“It is not possible to interview and collect information for the 52% of returnee women without female staff,” the agency said.

The UN is engaging Taliban authorities and has called for the immediate lifting of restrictions to allow critical support to continue. UNAMA emphasized that previous arrangements had enabled culturally sensitive aid delivery “by women, for women.” In the meantime, UN agencies are making operational adjustments to protect staff and explore ways to maintain essential services.

The UN stressed that restricting the movement of UN personnel and obstructing UN operations breaches international rules on the privileges and immunities of the organization’s staff. Follow Daryo’s official Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter pages to keep current on world news