Kabul, Afghanistan - A year ago today, the de facto authorities reinforced the ban on Afghan women staff and contractors from entering United Nations premises across Afghanistan.
Twelve months later, this ban remains in place.
Nowhere else in the world are women prevented from entering United Nations premises because of their gender. This is unprecedented in the UN's 80-year history.
The United Nations continues to strenuously oppose these restrictions, which violate the UN's founding principles of human rights and equality, set out in the UN Charter.
Over these 365 days, our Afghan women colleagues have continued their essential work. They have supported grassroots women's organizations, helped women access livelihood opportunities and build climate resilience, and provided healthcare, cash assistance, non-food items, psychosocial support and much more.
Yet these unprecedented restrictions continue to undermine the work of the UN and our partners, and our ability to reach women and girls, and their families with the support they need.
This ban on Afghan women entering UN premises comes on top of the multitude of other restrictions limiting Afghan women's education, employment, movement and participation in public life.
Combined, these restrictions affect not only individual Afghans, but families, communities and the economic development of the country.
Without Afghan women personnel, the United Nations cannot reach women and girls with culturally appropriate assistance. In Afghanistan, assistance must be delivered by women, for women.
The full, equal and unimpeded participation of Afghan women personnel is essential to the United Nations' work.
We again call on the de facto authorities to immediately allow unhindered access by women staff, including those working for the UN, our partners and other NGOs, to field sites, offices and other places of work.
