A coalition of United Nations experts has publicly urged the Taliban to immediately rescind its ban on Afghan women entering UN premises. This appeal underscores the policy’s stark violation of international law and its potential to inflict severe humanitarian consequences. The coalition, composed of Special Rapporteurs and Working Group members, criticized the restriction as an overt assault on women’s rights, especially in the context of Afghanistan’s ongoing humanitarian crisis.
Since regaining control in 2021, the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s participation in public life have intensified. The September 2025 action, where armed Taliban forces started blocking Afghan women, including UN employees, from accessing UN premises, marks a significant escalation. The coalition denounced any cultural or religious justifications offered for this policy by emphasizing the essential role women play in delivering life-saving aid and maintaining humanitarian operations. For further details, the full report can be read here.
The coalition has called upon UN Secretary-General António Guterres to orchestrate a comprehensive institutional response. They also urge UN Member States to exert long-term diplomatic pressure to rectify the situation. The impact of these restrictions is profound, compromising operations and primarily affecting women and girls.
These developments come on the heels of other alarming actions by the Taliban. In February, a new penal code was enacted, allowing husbands to physically discipline their wives, further illustrating the deteriorating rule of law and treatment of women in Afghanistan. Despite these challenges, UN Women has stated its intention to continue aiding women and girls in the region, highlighting the urgency of reversing these policies.
The Taliban’s latest move to block Afghan women from participating in UN activities reflects broader oppressive trends that threaten not only women’s rights but also the future of Afghanistan itself. Such policies present a formidable challenge to international norms and call for a decisive global response.