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UN calls for urgent investment in Afghan women and girls
On International Women’s Day, the United Nations in Afghanistan on Saturday called for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to lift restrictions, which it said, continue to strip women and girls of their fundamental rights. It also called on Member States to translate solidarity into action—by amplifying Afghan women’s voices, supporting their leadership, and investing in their resilience and future.
This year’s theme, “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment”, is a stark reminder of the reality in Afghanistan, where women and girls face systematic exclusion from education, employment, and public life. These restrictions are not only violations of human rights but also barriers to Afghanistan’s progress, deepening poverty and isolation for millions, UNAMA said in a statement.
“Despite extraordinary challenges, Afghan women continue to lead, build, and support their communities. They provide life-saving health and protection services, run businesses and civil society organizations, and advocate tirelessly for their rights. Placing them at the center of solutions to current and emerging challenges is essential. Restoring their rights to learn and work would transform their lives, communities, and Afghanistan’s future for the benefit of all.” said Roza Otunbayeva, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
“The United Nations in Afghanistan stands in full solidarity with the women and girls of Afghanistan and is united in condemning the progressive erasure of women and girls from public life. We will continue to do everything in our power to invest in the resilience and leadership of Afghan women and girls, who are the key to a prosperous and inclusive Afghanistan,” Otunbayeva said.
Afghan women have made their demands to the international community clear. These include to advocate for the restoration of their rights and freedoms and to keep their situation on the global agenda; ensure their representation at every table where decisions about their country’s future are being made; sustain critical funding for services and life-saving assistance; and invest in programmes that support women’s leadership and economic empowerment, according to UNAMA.
“We cannot accept a future for Afghan women and girls that we would never tolerate for women anywhere else. Our response to their erasure from public life is a test of our commitment to women and girls everywhere. We must stand with Afghan women as if our own lives depend on it. Because they do.” said Alison Davidian, Special Representative for UN Women Afghanistan.
“The UN has stayed and delivered in Afghanistan and will continue to do so, working alongside its partners to safeguard the rights of all Afghans,” Davidian said.
The United Nations has repeatedly called on the Islamic Emirate to lift the restrictions on women and girls, but the Islamic Emirate has said that the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan are protected according to Sharia.
Roza Otunbayeva, Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), recently visited the city of Maimana in northern Afghanistan, where she met with local officials, entrepreneurs, and UN staff.
UNAMA wrote on its Facebook page on Sunday, that during the visit, entrepreneurs — including women — met with Otunbayeva, and requested support to facilitate access to new markets, particularly in Uzbekistan.
UNAMA further stated that among these entrepreneurs was a group of women who, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), had established a tailoring workshop.
They expressed their appreciation for the support received and spoke about the significant growth and development of their business.
UNAMA added that the organization remains committed to promoting economic opportunities and empowering Afghan communities, especially women.
Anand Prakash, head of the Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan Division of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, met with Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul for talks on various issues.
According to a press release issued Sunday by the Afghan Foreign Ministry, bilateral political relations, trade, transit and recent political developments in the region were discussed in the meeting.
Muttaqi stressed the need for the expansion of diplomatic and economic relations between the two countries and explained that Afghanistan currently offers favorable opportunities for investment. He said Indian investors should take advantage of these opportunities.
He also said that facilities should be created for the movement of people between Afghanistan and India and the issuance of visas for medical purposes, students and businessmen should return to normal.
Meanwhile, Prakash said that relations with Afghanistan are important for India and he hopes that these relations will expand further in various fields.
He stressed that India will continue its cooperation with Afghanistan and wants to invest in some infrastructure projects and restart projects that were paused for some time.
The two sides also emphasized the expansion of relations, the exchange of delegations, visa facilitation and bilateral cooperation.
Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has said in a phone call with his Uzbek counterpart that Afghanistan is fully prepared for the implementation of the Trans-Afghan railway project.
During the call, the two sides discussed strengthening bilateral and multilateral relations, as well as expanding political, economic and transit cooperation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul said in a statement on Sunday.
Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov noted that Afghanistan’s exports to Uzbekistan have tripled in the first four months of 2025 compared to last year. He vowed to create more facilities in the field of trade and transit between the two countries, especially in issuing visas to Afghan citizens.
Meanwhile, Amir Khan Muttaqi said that Afghanistan is fully prepared for the implementation of major economic projects such as the Trans-Afghan railway project and for the strengthening of political, trade and transit cooperation with Uzbekistan. He said that the existing opportunities should be utilized for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
The two sides also discussed the holding of a trilateral meeting between Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan at the level of foreign ministers and agreed to coordinate through diplomatic channels to determine the exact date and place of the meeting.
The three neighboring countries signed an agreement in February 2021 to construct a 573-kilometer railway line through Afghanistan, connecting landlocked Central Asia to Pakistan seaports, with an estimated cost of $4.8 billion to enhance regional economic connectivity.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a telephone conversation with Uzbek foreign minister last Thursday to discuss the Trans-Afghan railway project.
Dar expressed hope that the three countries would soon sign a framework agreement on this important regional project.
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