he agency says it will continue its operations in what it describes as the world’s most severe women’s rights emergency.
“Despite the restrictions on women and girls and the current conflicts… no matter what, UN Women is staying and delivering in Afghanistan,” said Susan Ferguson, the agency’s country representative, speaking on Tuesday.
In 2025 alone, UN Women supported access to lifesaving services for more than 350 000 women and girls, while nearly 200 women‑led civil society organisations received assistance. But the agency warned that its work remains severely constrained. Because services for women must be delivered by women, UN Women is calling for the reversal of the ban preventing Afghan female UN staff and contractors from entering UN premises.
“We continue to find ways to operate and stand with those who need support the most,” Ferguson said.
Ferguson said conditions for women have worsened significantly with the introduction of Taliban Decree No. 12 earlier this year. The directive formally eliminates legal equality between men and women and allows husbands to carry out punishments, including physical violence, within the home.
She urged the de facto authorities to ensure laws and policies uphold women’s rights in line with Afghanistan’s international obligations. She also warned the international community against “normalisation”, stressing that sustained global engagement is essential. “When we start to accept this as normal, we stop believing it can change,” she said.
Following an airstrike in Kabul on Monday night that reportedly killed hundreds of civilians, more than half of them women and children, Ms Ferguson said Afghan families were paying a “heavy price” for continuing violence. At least 64 000 people have been affected by escalating hostilities with Pakistan, with women and girls making up just over half.
“For many women, this is their second or even third time they have been forced to flee in the past year,” she said. She also expects a “sharp increase in Afghans returning from Iran”, including women travelling alone with children, in the coming weeks.
Afghanistan’s humanitarian needs continue to grow, with more than 10 million women and girls expected to require assistance this year, following economic collapse and the impact of the August 2025 earthquake. Rising prices linked to regional conflict are making survival even harder for families.
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
