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The United States (US) Embassy for Afghanistan has urged the global community to unite against the systemic injustices faced by Afghan women and girls under the Afghan Interim government (AIG). In a statement released on the social media platform X on December 14, the Embassy emphasized that these injustices represent a significant threat to global principles of justice and equality.
The statement highlighted the dire circumstances Afghan women and girls face, including bans on education beyond grade six, the closure of universities, and the Taliban’s recent decision to shut down medical institutions for women.
These ongoing restrictions undermine the fundamental rights of women and girls and pose a serious challenge to global human rights efforts.“ In amplifying voices on human rights, let us unite to demand change and uphold the rights of all people, everywhere,” the Embassy declared.
The situation has drawn widespread condemnation from the international community, with Tom Fletcher, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, warning of the devastating impact of these policies on Afghanistan’s healthcare system. Fletcher noted that the ban on women attending medical institutions marks a severe setback. He said it would prevent thousands of midwives and nurses from joining the workforce, exacerbating an already critical health crisis.
He warned of the policy’s serious consequences. Over 36,000 midwives and 2,800 nurses would be kept out of the workforce. Fletcher said this would worsen the health crisis with maternal, neonatal, and preventable mortality rates would rise sharply.
“More than one-third of Afghan women already give birth without professional medical support,” Fletcher said, noting that a woman in Afghanistan dies from preventable maternal complications every two hours.
Also See: Afghan Women Deserve Better
Grave Consequences for Afghan Women and Global Justice
The Taliban’s policies, which have stripped women of basic freedoms and opportunities, are having far-reaching consequences:
- Healthcare Crisis: With over one-third of Afghan women giving birth without professional medical support, maternal mortality rates are projected to rise sharply.
- Education Crisis: The closure of schools and universities has effectively erased opportunities for women to contribute to Afghanistan’s development.
A Call for Immediate Action
The US Embassy has called on the AIG to reverse these damaging policies which oppress Afghan women. The closure of health and educational institutions for women is a direct challenge to the global commitment to gender equality. Immediate action is needed to protect Afghanistan’s future and its international standing, the statement emphasized.
This news is sourced from Amu and is intended for informational purposes only.
