Guterres to Taliban: Women’s participation is a fundamental right.
In his recent speech, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed that women’s participation in decision-making is a fundamental right, not a privilege.
She also warned that global progress on gender equality has been very slow and no country has yet achieved full equality for women and girls.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan, under Taliban rule, is presented as a severe example of women’s rights violations, where even the most basic women’s rights, including access to education, employment and freedom of expression, have been denied.
The UN Secretary-General added that in Afghanistan, the Taliban government has severely restricted women’s freedom and in many cases is not accountable.
Women and girls are denied political participation, economic opportunities and education, and international organizations have repeatedly warned of a deteriorating situation.
Guterres stressed that without the real participation of women in decision-making processes, not only gender equality but also sustainable development and peace in countries will be impossible.
Guterres also called for immediate international action to support women in Afghanistan, saying world leaders must stand up to violations of women’s rights with honesty and practical commitment.
She stressed that women’s rights should not be sacrificed to repressive policies and coercive restrictions and that no society can achieve sustainable development without freedom of expression and active participation of women.
