UNAMA Report: 57% of Women Fear Going Out Without a Male Guardian

Bayan News – A recent report from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reveals that 57% of women in Afghanistan are afraid when leaving their homes without a male guardian, due to concerns about the behavior of the Taliban.

The UNAMA report, published on Friday (February 16th), is based on data collected from 745 women across 34 provinces in Afghanistan. According to the report, 70% of women in Afghanistan fear harassment and mistreatment by the Taliban, and the enforcement of Taliban’s dress code has further increased harassment and mistreatment in public spaces.

The report highlights that due to social pressures and Taliban’s orders to protect honor, male family members have now become the executors of the law. It states that 57% of women feel fear and insecurity when leaving home without a male guardian.

Furthermore, the report indicates that 44% of women feel secure when accompanied by a male guardian, while another 47% feel somewhat secure. However, 28% of women oppose the official recognition of the Taliban.

The report also addresses the process of recognizing the Taliban and includes the perspectives of women on this matter. According to the report, 67% of women stated that the recognition of the Taliban will have a significant impact on their lives. Based on the UNAMA report, recognizing the Taliban may exacerbate the violation of women’s rights and increase the risk of strengthening and expanding existing restrictions imposed by the Taliban.

Still, 32% of women believe that recognizing the Taliban should only occur after the complete lifting of all restrictions against women and girls, while another 25% expressed that it should only occur after the lifting of specific restrictions. Additionally, 28% stated that the Taliban should not be recognized under any circumstances.

According to the UNAMA report, some women have called on the international community not to recognize the Taliban as long as their human rights are not restored. So far, officials from the Taliban interim government have not responded to this report.

This report is being released just ahead of the Second Doha Conference, hosted by the United Nations, with the participation of special representatives from various countries. This conference is considered crucial for addressing the current situation in Afghanistan and the global community’s interaction with the Taliban.