par Michelle Nichols et Charlotte Greenfield
UNITED NATIONS/KABUL, April 4 (Archyde.com) –
The United Nations has caught wind of a Taliban directive banning Afghan women from working for the world body, the UN spokesman said on Tuesday, denouncing a new measure that undermines the ability of humanitarian organizations to operate. in Afghanistan.
Speaking to reporters at UN headquarters in New York, Stephane Dujarric said it would be “unacceptable” and “inconceivable” in the eyes of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres for Afghan women to be prevented from working for the United Nations in their country.
No comment was immediately obtained from the Afghan government.
Two sources told Archyde.com that concerns about the implementation of such a measure prompted the United Nations to ask its personnel not to visit their offices in Afghanistan for forty-eight hours – that is until Sunday, with Thursday and Friday being the traditional rest days in the country.
“We are still trying to determine how this could affect our operations in the country,” said Stephane Dujarric, indicating that UN representatives intended to meet on Wednesday with the Afghan authorities in Kabul for clarification. .
Such a ban could represent a major challenge for UN operations in Afghanistan, where more than half of the approximately 23 million inhabitants need humanitarian aid. (Report Charlotte Greenfield in Kabul and Michelle Nichols in New York; French version Jean Terzian)