<\/p>\n
The UN Security Council has denounced Taliban government policies targeting women and girls in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n
The Taliban have banned women from attending university and working for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) within the last week.<\/p>\n
The 15-member Security Council said it was “deeply alarmed” by the increasing restrictions on women’s education.<\/p>\n
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the latest restrictions “must be revoked”.<\/p>\n
A statement from the Council called for the “full, equal, and meaningful participation of women and girls in Afghanistan”.<\/p>\n
It urged the Taliban “to reopen schools and swiftly reverse these policies and practices, which represents an increasing erosion for the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms.”<\/p>\n
The ban on female humanitarian workers “would have a significant and immediate impact for humanitarian operations in country”, including for the UN, it added.<\/p>\n
Mr Guterres said that the latest restrictions were “unjustifiable human rights violations”.<\/p>\n
“Actions to exclude and silence women and girls continue to cause immense suffering and major setbacks to the potential of the Afghan people,” he wrote on Twitter.<\/p>\n
At least five top NGOs halted work in Afghanistan after women were banned from working for them by the Taliban government.<\/p>\n
Care International, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and Save the Children said they could not continue their work “without our female staff”.<\/p>\n
The International Rescue Committee also suspended services while Islamic Relief said it was stopping most of its work.<\/p>\n
The Taliban last week arrested five women taking part in a protest in the Afghan capital, Kabul, over the ban on female education. Three journalists were also arrested.<\/p>\n
Since seizing back control of the country last year, the Taliban have steadily restricted women’s rights – despite promising their rule would be softer than the regime seen in the 1990s.<\/p>\n
As well as the bans on NGO workers and female university students – in the case of students, now being enforced by armed guards – secondary schools for girls remain closed in most provinces.<\/p>\n
Women have also been prevented from entering parks and gyms, among other public places.<\/p>\n
Source: BBC<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Featured Video\n<\/p>\n\n
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