UN: Afghan Women, Girls ‘Especially Vulnerable’ Under Taliban Rule

UN: Afghan Women, Girls ‘Especially Vulnerable’ Under Taliban Rule
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Four years after the Taliban’s return to power, the United Nations reports that women and girls in Afghanistan remain “especially vulnerable,” and that more than half of the country’s population requires life-saving aid, Amu TV reported.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric stated that the Taliban has imposed restrictive policies that bar women and girls from education, the workforce, and public life. He also warned that the crisis is being deepened by a rising number of returnees from neighboring countries; since the start of the year, 1.7 million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan, with most struggling to find shelter and jobs.
To help meet the growing needs, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund has allocated $10 million, with additional funding under review. However, Dujarric stressed that more resources are urgently needed, as this year’s Humanitarian Response Plan is only 25% funded. The UN is also preparing for another wave of returnees as Pakistan has set a September 1 deadline for Afghans with temporary registration cards to leave the country.