The United Nations announced Thursday that its Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths plans to visit Afghanistan in the coming weeks after the Taliban banned women from aid work.
“During his next visit to Afghanistan, Griffiths will seek to meet with the highest possible authorities,” Deputy Special Representative, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Ramiz Alekperov said at a press conference held at United Nations Headquarters.
Alekperov stressed that “launching new international programs will be practically impossible for the United Nations in this environment.”
“When we talk about a conservative religious society, there is a need for women to talk to women to understand their specific needs, whether that is related to nutrition, health services, water and sanitation, or hygiene,” he continued.
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Alekperov also called on the international community to deal with the Taliban through dialogue rather than pressure to stop the ban on women’s rights.
The United Nations said, on Wednesday, that some “sensitive” UN programs had to temporarily stop due to a shortage of female staff following the recent ban imposed by the Taliban.
On December 24, the Taliban’s interim government in Afghanistan issued an order to all local and foreign non-governmental organizations not to allow women to come to work until further notice, claiming that some of them did not adhere to the Islamic dress code set by the government for women.