U.N. Security Council Demands Taliban Respect Women's Rights

Afghan women wait to receive food rations distributed by a humanitarian aid group, in Kabul, Afghanistan, on May 23, 2023. Afghan women feel scared or unsafe leaving their home alone because of

More than two-thirds of the U.N. Security Council members have demanded that the Taliban revoke all policies and decrees that oppress and discriminate against women and girls in Afghanistan. The council's statement condemned the Taliban's actions since taking power in August 2021, particularly highlighting the restrictions on girls' education beyond the sixth grade and women's rights to work and move freely.

The statement emphasized the importance of women's equal participation in all aspects of public, political, economic, cultural, and social life, urging the Taliban to ensure their inclusion at all decision-making levels. The council members welcomed the participation of Afghan civil society representatives, including women, in recent talks in Doha, despite the Taliban's refusal to attend.