KANEOHE, Hawaii — Recent mandates by the Taliban in Afghanistan have banned women from working for NGOs and the U.N. in Afghanistan. Following this restriction, U.N. agencies in Afghanistan have begun implementing their programs without women. The U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul and Ranking Member Gregory Meeks have responded to this change by sending a bipartisan letter to the U.N. secretary-general explaining their concerns about the U.N.’s response to the bans.
The Letter
On May 4, 2023, 35 members of Congress signed the McCaul-Meeks letter including various subcommittee chairmen and ranking members from both major political parties. It begins with concerns over the Taliban edicts barring women from working for NGOs and the U.N. in Afghanistan and new reports of male-only aid efforts in the country. The congressmen explain that humanitarian aid implemented without women serves to oppress women and “erase” them from public life. Not only does this restricted pool of implementers mean fewer women and children may receive the aid they need, but male-only teams may be more likely to overlook issues that women would notice.
The congressmen end the letter by reminding the secretary-general that women have never before been banned from working for the United Nations. Such a ban is a human rights violation and puts humanitarian programs within Afghanistan at significant risk.
The U.N. on Taliban Mandates in Afghanistan
The U.N. directs several vital humanitarian agencies and programs in Afghanistan, including the UNHCR, the World Food Program (WFP), UNICEF and UNFPA. These agencies and programs work to provide humanitarian relief, food to vulnerable groups and health care to 23 million people in Afghanistan every year. UNICEF and UNFPA programs are in particular need of female implementers, as these programs directly involve women and children.
On April 6, 2023, The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan announced a Taliban order banning women from attending work in the U.N. This edict followed orders in 2022 excluding girls from, among many activities, attending post-primary education and from working for NGOs. Organizations such as the U.N. quickly responded to this announcement by condemning Afghanistan’s de facto leadership.
As this happened, the U.N. directed all Afghan members of the team in Afghanistan, both men and women, not to report to work until the organization decided on a response. While gender equality in the U.N. is important to the organization, it was important for them to gather information and resources before making a decision as to what further action to take.
Women’s Participation in the U.N.
Of the roughly 3,900 people working for the U.N. in Afghanistan, around 400 are Afghan women, meaning that this recent edict eliminated 10% of United Nations staff in Afghanistan, according to Le Monde. However, these women are not only important because of their number. Due to cultural practices in Afghanistan, women’s participation in the U.N. is vital as many humanitarian efforts must be carried out only by women. With more than 90% of people in Afghanistan suffering from different levels of food security and a diminished number of NGOs following the previous ban on women working in the sector, the remaining humanitarian groups are facing a crisis. On May 5, the U.N. released a public statement about the organization’s commitment to supporting the Afghan people.
– Christina Albrecht
Photo: Wikimedia Commons