UN: Afghanistan Faces the World’s Most Severe Women’s Rights Crisis

Kabul Times News

Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, Deputy Executive Director of UN Women, has warned that Afghanistan is facing the most severe women’s rights crisis in the world. She noted that restrictions imposed by the Taliban have deprived girls of the right to education, and women of the right to employment and social participation.

Speaking on Monday, October 26 (the 4th of Aqrab), at a meeting on women, peace, and security held at the UN headquarters in New York, she stated that denying Afghan girls access to education eliminates any opportunity for them to transform their lives and their futures.

Gumbonzvanda further warned that wars have become increasingly lethal for women and girls. According to her, more than 37,000 civilians were killed in armed conflicts last year—a quarter of whom were women and girls.

The Deputy Executive Director of UN Women emphasized the necessity of including women in peace negotiations and ensuring financial support for organizations that advocate for women’s rights.

Since returning to power, the Taliban have imposed extensive restrictions on women’s education, employment, and presence in the public sphere. Afghanistan remains the only country in the world where girls are denied access to secondary and higher education.