Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent
Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on
Afghanistan.
"President, since our last Council briefing on Afghanistan,
another school year has begun with secondary schools and higher
education remaining closed to women and girls.
It is now over three years since the Taliban's edict denying them
their right to education.
The United Kingdom continues to unequivocally condemn this ban
and urges its immediate reversal.
Education is not the only sector from which half of Afghanistan's
population is barred.
We remain deeply concerned by the Taliban's shortsighted ban on
women's medical education and by the challenges Afghan women and
girls face in accessing life-saving healthcare, including sexual
and reproductive health services.
As we heard from Ms Bahous, nearly 8 in 10 young Afghan women are
excluded from education, employment and training
opportunities.
It is unacceptable that the Taliban's restrictive edicts deny
Afghan women and girls their rights and fundamental
freedoms.
The United Kingdom supports calls for greater accountability
efforts, including the referral of Afghanistan to the
International Court of Justice for violations of CEDAW, the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women.
The Taliban must also recognise the negative impact of their
draconian policies on Afghanistan's economic growth and long-term
prosperity.
As Director Bahous has highlighted, the Taliban's ban on
secondary education for girls is estimated to cost $1.5 billion
by 2030
During the last financial year, the UK distributed over $230
million in assistance to the Afghan people.
Last week, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture
Organisation, we announced a new food security initiative,
responding to climate-related challenges through the delivery of
drought-resistant seeds and more nutritious crops, improved
irrigation and training in sustainable farming practices.
Half a million Afghans are set to benefit from this UK-funded
programme.
The UK has also continued to engage constructively with the
UN-led process, including the comprehensive approach.
But reliance on humanitarian assistance is not sustainable in the
long term, and the UK's continued engagement in a process in
which the Taliban are not fully committed or willing to take
meaningful steps towards meeting their international obligations
is not guaranteed.
We therefore urge the Taliban to reverse course and demonstrate
their readiness to work towards an Afghanistan at peace with
itself, its neighbours and the international community."
