The top UN political official in Afghanistan remains hopeful that Taliban leaders will reverse their stance on women's rights, urging the international community not to give up on the country.
Roza Otunbayeva, a former President and Foreign Minister of Kyrgyzstan, serves as the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan and head of the UN Assistance Mission in the country, UNAMA.
She has to live and work in a State whose de facto authorities have practically outlawed women, forbidding them to work, study, and visit public spaces. But the Taliban regularly meet with Ms. Otunbayeva and treat her with respect.
'A normal working relationship'
"I don't feel any discrimination. I think we have a normal working relationship," she told UN News during a recent visit to UN Headquarters in New York, where she briefed the Security Council.
Ms. Otunbayeva is trying to use her authority with the Taliban to persuade them to abandon the policy of infringing on women's rights.
"I talk to the Taliban ministers all the time, and they are engaged in dialogue. Everyone understands the value of international contacts," she said.
"They were all mujahideen in the past, they fought. One in three of them were detained in Guantanamo. They have such a biography. And yet, we are working on all fronts. I tell them, listen, women can do anything, they can lead missions, not to mention dozens and hundreds of women ministers in Muslim countries, women presidents."
So far, it has not been possible to convince the Taliban, but the senior UN official has not lost hope. "It takes patience, patience and patience again," she said.
Winter is coming
In her briefing to the Security Council at the end of September, the Special Representative said the international community should not turn its back on Afghanistan despite all that is happening there. "The country has just a whole bunch of problems," she told UN News.
Arguably, one of the most pressing issues is the lack of food necessary to survive the upcoming winter season. Winters in Afghanistan are very severe, and the people are destitute, poor and hungry, and many are sick. Because there was war in the country for 40 years, every family suffered losses.
Millions suffering drug addiction
According to Ms. Otunbayeva, of the approximately 40 million people in Afghanistan, between five and eight million suffer from drug addiction, one million of whom are women and children.
"Many women become addicted to drugs by doing carpet weaving. This is a very monotonous and tedious job, and in order not to fall asleep, in order to continue working, many resort to drugs," she explained.
Men also use opium as a stimulant "so that the body can withstand a long working day. And that's how they gradually get addicted," she added.
"Another problem is the lack of medicines, which is why Afghans very often resort to traditional medicine, which is again opium. It's used for pain, for anything."
