Taliban Reacts To UN’s Operational Review, Calls Ban on Women’s Work Domestic Issue

The Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said that the ban on Afghan women’s work is a domestic issue in Afghanistan and urged all stakeholders to respect it. Mujahid also blamed “those behind banking restrictions responsible for the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan”.

On Wednesday, the Taliban spokesperson said in a statement that the group does not create any obstacles to the activities of the United Nations in Afghanistan.

He emphasised that banning female staffers of the United Nations to work does not mean that there will be discrimination against the United Nations’ activities in Afghanistan.

The Taliban spokesperson stated that the group is committed to the rights of all Afghan citizens taking into consideration the religious and cultural values of the Taliban.

Zabihullah Mujahid added, "Given the emergency situation in Afghanistan, it is necessary for the member states of the United Nations to resolve the issue of freezing Afghan assets, banking, travel restrictions, and other restrictions so that Afghanistan can progress in the economic, and political and security areas.”

United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in a statement on Tuesday said that it has initiated an operational review period in Afghanistan till May 5 following the Taliban’s ban on women working at UN offices.

It stated that the review will be done under the supervision of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA Roza Otunbayeva.

During the review period, the UN in Afghanistan will conduct the necessary consultations, make required operational adjustments, and accelerate contingency planning for all possible outcomes.

UNAMA added that it will, however, try to maintain principled and constructive engagement with all possible levels of the Taliban even during this review period.

Employees working at UN offices, both men and women, have been instructed not to report to work, except for some emergency tasks.