The Kabul Tribune (KT) — The situation of women and girls in Afghanistan was among the issues discussed by U.N. General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman during a meeting with Ireland’s foreign minister, as the Taliban continue to impose sweeping restrictions on their rights and participation in public life.
Rahman said on X that he met with Helen McEntee, Ireland’s
minister for foreign affairs and trade and minister for defense. The two
discussed the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan, along with U.N.
reform, including reform of the Security Council, and the opportunities and
risks posed by artificial intelligence.
The discussion comes as Afghan women and girls continue to
face extensive restrictions under the Taliban authorities. The U.N. says girls
remain barred from secondary and higher education, while women face severe
limitations on employment, movement, access to public spaces and participation
in public life.
The restrictions have deepened since the Taliban returned to
power in 2021. Girls have been excluded from secondary education, and women
have been barred from universities. Restrictions have also affected women's
employment and access to public spaces and services.
Rahman and McEntee also discussed reform of the United
Nations, including changes to the Security Council, as well as the challenges
and opportunities associated with artificial intelligence.
The meeting took place on the sideline the 81st session of
the General Assembly, with Afghanistan's treatment of women and girls remaining
an issue of international concern five years after the Taliban takeover.
