KABUL: Fawzia Koofi, a former member of the Wolesi Jirga and women’s rights activist, has recently reacted to the ongoing severe restrictions imposed on Afghan women by the Taliban and the apparent silence of the United Nations. Koofi stated that, according to the latest UNAMA report, since September of last year, female Afghan employees of the United Nations have been banned from going to their offices. She warned that Afghan women and girls are systematically being excluded from all aspects of life, particularly from education and work. Koofi referred to the Taliban’s new decree issued on January 4 of this year, which states that women are treated not as human beings but as “property.” Under these regulations, women are not even allowed to leave their homes for sports or exercise. Female doctors and medical students have been barred from education, putting the country’s healthcare system at risk of collapse. Fawzia Koofi criticized international diplomats, noting that they witness such crimes yet still smile and express pleasure during meetings with the Taliban. She emphatically asked, “When will you wake up? Before this fire reaches you too?” This comes as UNAMA, in its latest report, has indicated an increase in restrictions on women in Afghanistan, as well as the mysterious killings of several military personnel from the previous government.
