UN May Exit Afghanistan Over Local Female Staff Ban

Facts

• The UN Development Program Administrator, Achim Steiner, on Tuesday stated the organization is prepared to leave Afghanistan in May unless the Taliban lets local women work for the UN. Steiner noted that the course of action would be 'heartbreaking.'¹
• UN officials have been urging the Afghan government to reverse an order made earlier this month, which banned local women from working for the UN and creates difficulties for the organization in interacting with Afghan women.²
• This ultimatum comes as it's estimated that two-thirds of Afghanistan's population will be in need of humanitarian assistance in 2023, with the US and other G7 nations also threatening to cut aid as the Taliban refuses to shift its stance.³
• Since April 12, the 3.3K Afghans employed by the UN — 600 of whom are women — have been working from home. The organization also has 600 international staff; though women represent one-third of this contingent, they are not affected by the ban.¹
• The UN last week instructed all of its personnel — men and women — to avoid reporting to its premises in the country, following the introduction of the Taliban's latest measure restraining women and girls' participation in public and daily life.⁴
• On Monday, however, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said the organization plans to arrange a conference to discuss granting a principled recognition to the Taliban. While she didn't detail the date, former US envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad on Tuesday claimed it will be held in Doha, Qatar, on May 1.⁵

Sources: ¹Associated Press, ²The Telegraph, ³Guardian, ⁴CNN and ⁵VOA.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by UN News. The UN is doing all it can to aid the people of Afghanistan but the Taliban is continuously making the mission harder, seeking to force the organization to choose between staying to help the Afghan people and upholding its own principles. Any negative consequences emerging from this crisis will be the responsibility of the Taliban-appointed authorities.
• Narrative B, as provided by Lowy Institute. It's certain that the situation in Afghanistan has been deteriorating, but this crisis will only worsen if the UN decides to pull out of the country. The only way forward is to move beyond the International community's current reactive approach, and instead, restore an active diplomatic presence in the nation to negotiate with Taliban representatives and find solutions.