Panama’s representative to the UN Security Council, emphasizing the rights of Afghan women, said that women’s and girls’ access to education, employment, and presence in social spheres does not contradict the culture and religious beliefs of the people of Afghanistan.
On Wednesday, September 16 (25 Sunbula), at the meeting, referring to the position of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), he stated that the restrictions imposed by the Taliban against women and girls are not considered compatible with Islamic values and that obstacles to their education, work, and social participation must be removed.
Panama’s representative also stated that the restrictions imposed on women cannot be considered scattered incidents — according to him, these actions have become a widespread process to exclude women from society.
He then referred to reports about the detention of a number of women in Herat for not observing dress code regulations.
He noted that the enforcement of these restrictions has been accompanied by pressure and coercive measures.
According to Panama’s representative, Afghan women play a role in various sectors, including business, work, human rights advocacy, and peace efforts, and their presence is of fundamental importance for the country’s economic and social future.
In conclusion, he emphasized that the international community has kept the path of dialogue with the Taliban open over the past years, and now the group must demonstrate through practical actions that it is committed to its obligations toward the Afghan people and the international community.
