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Afghan exiles, including members of the Hazara ethnic group, demonstrate in the city center against the Taliban regime, oppression and for women's rights
Photo: Boris Roessler / dpa
The UN Security Council has called on Afghanistan's ruling radical Islamic Taliban to reverse the restrictions on women's rights.
In a unanimous statement, the 15 members of the Security Council condemn in particular "restrictions that limit access to education, employment, freedom of movement and full, equal and meaningful participation of women in public life".
Such requirements would have to be »quickly lifted«.
The 15-member council approved the statement drafted by Norway after discussing the situation behind closed doors for almost two weeks.
The most important body of the United Nations is calling on the Taliban to reopen schools to all schoolgirls.
He expressed "deep concern at the increasing erosion by the Taliban of respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and girls in Afghanistan".
Taliban require women to wear burqas in public
Earlier this month, the Taliban ordered women to cover their faces in public, returning to a policy characteristic of the Islamist group's previous hard-line rule.
They also called on TV stations to ensure that female presenters on local channels cover their faces when they are on the air.
Under the previous Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001, women had to wear veils, were not allowed to work and girls were not allowed to go to school.
After taking power in August last year, the Taliban said they respected women's rights.
In March, however, the Taliban backtracked on their announcement.
kim/AFP/Reuters
