The fight for women’s and girls’ rights in a changing Afghanistan | United Nations | UN Women

Every day, we hear of rollbacks on women's rights across the country.

Women and girls are living in fear. It's palpable.

Since May, the Taliban has really undertaken a concerted military offensive across the entire country.

On the 15th of August, the Taliban entered Kabul and took the city,

and we knew from that moment, UN Women and women and girls in Afghanistan, that life would change.

Women are being told not to leave their homes without a mahram.

In some provinces, they've been told not to come to work. We're seeing women's protection centers attacked, looted.

A cabinet has been appointed that has no women. Deputy ministers were appointed. Again, no women.

The Ministry of Women's Affairs has been abolished. And girls from years 7-12 were told not to come to school anymore.

The situation for women and girls in the country is very bleak.

This is not just about the humanitarian response. This is about the future of Afghanistan.

Historically, UN Women has had a long history with the women's movement in Afghanistan, working side-by-side.

Afghan women have been fighting for their rights for centuries.

In 1919, Afghan women got the right to vote, even before the US.

In the 1920s, the first girls school was established.

Over and over in the decades we see how Afghan women's advocacy has been seminal to the country moving forward,

in both peace and development. And this hasn't changed.

Even today, we see Afghan women out on the streets protesting in the face of incredible challenges.

UN Women in Afghanistan is committed to staying and delivering for Afghan women and girls.

And for us, this means three main things.

Firstly, it's advocacy, advocacy to ensure that women's rights, the full spectrum, are being protected and promoted.

And also to ensure that Afghan women are not just talked about, but are heard from directly.

Another key part of our work is supporting women's civil society.

We know that women's civil society are the engines for progress and accountability,

in any country, not just Afghanistan.

And so it's key to ensure that they have the funding and the operational space to do their work.

Finally, staying and delivering, for UN Women, means ensuring that women have access to essential

life-saving services, including to respond to violence against women and girls.

We know COVID has increased rates across the globe, including in Afghanistan,

so UN Women will continue to work with partners to ensure that services are available to prevent

and respond to violence against women.

We need the international community to ensure that any aid that they give to Afghanistan

is also tied to robust commitments on women's rights and gender equality.

We also need them to ensure that humanitarian aid keeps flowing and that there are commitments in place

to ensure that it reaches both men and women.

We need the international community to issue strong joint statements that show the collective mass of voices

encouraging the Taliban to adhere to key women's rights and human rights principles.

If you're watching this and you want to help Afghan women and girls, I think the most important thing

is to hear from them, listen to them, follow them on social media, and use your platforms

to elevate those priorities and those voices.

I think the second thing, if you have the means, is to donate to women's civil society organizations

that are working on the ground every day to make the lives of women and girls better.

And thirdly, is to be an advocate in your own community, to lobby for your governments

to include Afghans at-risk in resettlement initiatives,

and to be friends to them as they try and resettle into their new countries.

Afghan women will never give up on their rights

and never give up on their right to live free and equal lives.

And UN Women will never stop walking alongside them.

I hope that you'll join us.