UN Women vows to continue operations in Afghanistan News
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UN Women vows to continue operations in Afghanistan

The agency UN Women vowed on Tuesday to continue its provision of aid for women and girls in Afghanistan even in the face of stringent restrictions and the ongoing conflict in the region.

UN Women Afghanistan special representative Susan Ferguson confirmed: “Despite the restrictions on women and girls and the current conflicts…no matter what, UN Women is staying and delivering in Afghanistan.” Ferguson urged Afghan authorities to ensure that the legal system protects women and girls in line with Afghanistan’s international human rights obligations. She also called for the international community not to normalize ongoing restrictions based on gender, stating that “change is still possible, but only if the world continues to stand with Afghan women.”

UN Women stated that the agency has a 50 percent funding gap for its activities in 2026.

The Taliban have effectively curtailed the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan. Decree No. 12, issued at the beginning of this year, allows a husband to physically punish his wife and children. According to Ferguson, this “formally removes equality between men and women before the law and authorizes violence against women by allowing punishments—including physical violence—to be carried out by husbands in the home.”

UN research also highlighted that these legal constraints limit women’s access to justice. Georgette Gagnon, the officer in charge of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the deputy special representative of the secretary-general for Afghanistan, said, “When large segments of society face barriers to resolving disputes or seeking protection, it weakens trust in institutions and leaves communities and individuals more vulnerable.” Similar systemic restrictions occur for Afghan women’s access to healthcare.

Afghanistan ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 2003, meaning that under international law it is bound to protect the rights of women and girls.

Women and girls in Afghanistan are also suffering the consequences of armed conflict in the region. In March, Pakistan declared war against Afghanistan, leading to several attacks in border regions. Pakistan perpetrated an attack in Kabul on March 16, 2026, where many of the 289 civilians killed or injured were women and children. UN Women further reports that more than 10.7 million women and girls were already in need of humanitarian assistance.

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