The Taliban's repressive campaign against women's rights is likely to lead to a decrease in aid and development funding for the country. United Nations Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Rosa Otunbayeva, warned on Wednesday that if the amount of aid is reduced, the volume of cash transfers in US dollars needed to support that aid will also decline.
During a UN Security Council meeting, she stated that the provision of such aid is at risk due to the Taliban government banning girls from attending secondary schools and universities, prohibiting girls and women from visiting parks, and preventing them from working with relief organizations. Women are also not allowed to leave their homes without a male relative and are required to cover their faces.
She added during the Security Council meeting, coinciding with International Women's Day, that "Afghanistan under Taliban rule remains the most repressive country in the world regarding women's rights." She continued, "It is hard to understand how any government worthy of the name can rule against the needs of half its population."
Furthermore, she noted that discussions about providing more development aid, such as small infrastructure projects or policies to combat the effects of climate change, have stalled due to the bans.
The UN issued its largest-ever appeal for aid to a single country, requesting $4.6 billion in 2023 to provide assistance in Afghanistan, where two-thirds of the population, approximately 28 million people, need aid to survive, according to Rosa Otunbayeva.
The United States was the largest donor for the UN aid plan for Afghanistan in 2022, contributing over one billion dollars. When asked about potential cuts, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price stated that Washington is assessing the implications of the bans on aid delivery and is closely consulting with the UN.
Price stated that the United States wants to ensure that "the Taliban have no illusions that they can achieve both, failing to meet the commitments they made to the people of Afghanistan without facing consequences from the international community."
The Taliban government, which seized power in August 2021 as US-led forces withdrew from Afghanistan after 20 years of war, claims it respects women's rights according to its strict interpretation of Islamic law.
