UN ready to make 'heartbreaking' decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan

«In no other country have women and girls disappeared so quickly from all spheres of public life.» Credit: AP/AP

The United Nations is poised to make the 'heartbreaking' decision to withdraw from Afghanistan next month unless the Taliban lift a decree banning local women from working for the organization.

UN officials ask Taliban regime make exceptions to the order issued earlier this month, which is the latest in a series of growing restrictions since the ex-rebels came to power.

“It is fair to say that we are now in a situation where the entire United Nations system forced to take a step back and reassess its ability to work in these conditions. the head of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) told The Associated Press.

Achim Steiner said: «But this is not about discussing fundamental principles, human rights.»

United Nations agencies have played a central role in feeding Afghans and trying to maintain basic services over the past 18 months as the country grows larger plunges into poverty.

The conclusion is described as «destructive»;

Michael Kugelman, director of the Wilson Center's South Asia Institute, described the potential withdrawal as «devastating».

&#34Afghanistan faces the highest risk of famine in 25 years. and the UN is one of the few major international groups providing assistance on the ground.” he said.

Since they toppled the internationally backed government in August 2021, the Taliban have increasingly removed women and girls from public life.

Girls are not allowed into high school. Women were fired from government offices and banned from working in most sectors. They were ordered to cover their faces in public places and told they could not travel long distances without an escort.

In the latest decree, the Taliban said that Afghan women employees working for the UN mission could no longer account for the work.

“This is a very important point that we are approaching,” said Mr. Steiner. “And obviously we hope and expect that common sense will prevail.”

Without female UN staff, it would be difficult to interact with Afghan women, many of whom will not discuss sensitive issues with men or meet with them privately.

Severe humanitarian crisis

Afghanistan has been one of the worst humanitarian crises before how the Taliban came to power, and their situation worsened as international funding was cut and the economy collapsed.

But the UN decided that despite the need, human rights are non-negotiable, and the organization will leave in May, if the Taliban do not give in.

“I think there is no other way to put it than heartbreaking,” said Mr. Steiner. “I mean, if I imagined that the UN family was not in Afghanistan today, I would see these images of millions of girls in front of me , boys, fathers, mothers, who basically have nothing to eat.”

During the negotiations to secure the withdrawal of American troops that hastened the Taliban victory, the insurgents assured Washington that they did not want to return to their repressive policies of 1990- x years.

Women are increasingly marginalized.

However, since they came to power, on the contrary, they have become more and more marginalized. women.

“In no other country have women and girls been so rapidly vanishing from all walks of life and so disadvantaged in every aspect of their lives.” —Richard Bennett, Special Rapporteur on Human Rights . in Afghanistan concluded last year.

The tough stance appears to be dictated by Taliban supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzadeh and his inner circle in the city of Kandahar.

There were signs of dissent from other high-ranking officials Taliban figures, including some criticism of both the direction of the regime and how the leadership monopolizes power.

About 3,300 Afghans work at the UN, 2,700 people and 600 women have remained at home since April 12, but continue to work and receive a salary, the organization said. The ban does not apply to 600 UN international staff, including 200 women.