The United Nations (UN) has said it is ready to withdraw from Afghanistan if it cannot convince the Taliban to allow local women to work for the organization, the head of the United Nations Development Program said, according to the Associated Press news agency.
A decision could be made as soon as next month, when the UN negotiates with the Taliban on a decree banning local women from working.
UNDP Administrator Achin Steiner said: “It’s fair to say that where we are right now, the whole United Nations system needs to take a step back and reassess its ability to operate there. But this is not about negotiating basic principles, human rights.”
Taliban on allowing local women to work fail
The UN has expressed “serious concern” and condemned the Taliban ban on Afghan UN staff reporting for work. “The UN in Afghanistan expresses grave concern that female UN national staff have been prevented from reporting for work in Nangarhar province,” the UN said afterwards, adding that life-saving aid in the country would be at risk without female staff.
“We remind de facto authorities that United Nations entities cannot function and provide life-saving assistance without female staff,” the UN said.
The Taliban came to power in Afghanistan in August 2021 after the withdrawal of American troops. Since then, he has imposed strict bans on women and girls, preventing them from education and work in taliban.