1.4 Million Girls Denied Schooling as UN Staff Face Death Threats in Afghanistan

Dozens of Afghan women working for the United Nations in Afghanistan have received death threats, according to a new UN report detailing the deteriorating rights situation since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said that in May, several female national staff members were directly threatened, prompting the UN to adopt interim safety measures. The threats, the report notes, came from unidentified individuals linked to the women’s UN-related work.

Taliban Refuses to Take Responsibility for Threats

Taliban officials have denied responsibility. The group told the UN that its members were not behind the threats, with the Interior Ministry announcing an investigation. However, ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani rejected the claims outright, telling The Associated Press, “This is completely incorrect. We have a strategic plan for protection and security… no one can threaten them.” He did not respond to questions about the investigation.

Since December 2022, the Taliban has barred Afghan women from working in domestic and foreign nongovernmental organisations, extending the ban to the UN in April 2023. Authorities have also threatened to close agencies and groups that continue to employ women. Humanitarian organisations say their operations have faced disruption and interference, allegations the Taliban denies.

UN Report Reveals Several Restrictions on Women Under Taliban Rule in Afghanistan

This UN report marks the first official confirmation of death threats against Afghan women in the UN system. It also highlights broader restrictions on women’s freedoms. Inspectors from the Vice and Virtue Ministry have been enforcing a strict dress code, requiring women to wear the chador, a full-body cloak covering the head, with some women arrested for wearing only the hijab. Women are also prohibited from accessing public spaces under existing bans.

A previous UN report from August 2024 found that the Taliban has “deliberately deprived” at least 1.4 million girls of their right to education during its three years in power. International bodies and rights groups warn that such policies are not only dismantling women’s participation in public life but also eroding critical humanitarian operations in Afghanistan.

Also Read: Girls Banned, Critics Jailed: HRW Slams Global Silence as Taliban Cracks Down on Afghan Rights