9 March 2026
Madame President,
I would like to thank Deputy Special Representative Georgette Gagnon for her insightful remarks.
Madame President,
As we celebrated International Women’s Day and the opening of the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, our thoughts turn to the women and girls of Afghanistan, who are suffering under Taliban rule for the fifth consecutive year. In a world striving towards equality, Afghan women are not merely being sidelined from society; they are being persecuted and systematically erased from public life. I would like to make the following three points:
First, the restrictions preventing Afghan women UN personnel from accessing their offices, in effect since September 2025, coupled with the Taliban’s December 2024 ban on medical education for women and girls, have pushed the healthcare and humanitarian sectors to the brink of collapse. We urge the Taliban to immediately lift these restrictions and also restore full access to education for girls beyond the sixth grade.
Moreover, the restrictions on media freedom and freedom of expression are unacceptable, particularly concerning book censorship and social media monitoring. We are also deeply concerned by the rising incidents of corporal punishment, public executions, arbitrary arrests and detentions, extrajudicial killings, as well as torture and ill treatment of the Afghan population.
The latest addition to the Taliban’s system of oppression -the decree on “Criminal Rules of Courts” or the so called new “penal code”- not only codifies discriminatory provisions for different “categories” of citizens, but also explicitly deprives women of the last vestiges of legal protection. In view of the above, we support all means of accountability, including the recently established independent investigative mechanism for Afghanistan. At the same time, we reiterate our call on the Taliban to honor Afghanistan’s international commitments, particularly the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
Second, we share the Secretary-General’s concern over the recent cross-border clashes between the Taliban and Pakistani security forces, which have resulted in numerous civilian casualties, including women and children, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure. We reiterate that the protection of civilians and strict adherence to international humanitarian law are of paramount importance. We call for a lasting cessation of hostilities through de-escalation, dialogue and mediation efforts. Moreover, the territory of Afghanistan should not be used to threaten or attack any country and we call on the Taliban to take active measures to combat terrorism.
At the same time, we call for unhindered humanitarian access of aid destined to Afghanistan. As the country grapples with multiple humanitarian challenges, including acute food insecurity, recurring public health emergencies and natural hazards, as well as unprecedented numbers of returnees, the continuation of hostilities poses a challenge to the effective delivery of life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable populations. Aid entering the country needs to be safely and expeditiously delivered across all of Afghanistan.
Third, Greece reiterates its full support for UNAMA and the upcoming renewal of its mandate in its entirety, including provisions on human rights. At the same time, the proposed roadmap to foster a more coherent, coordinated, and structured engagement between the international community and the Taliban offers a clear path forward; however, its success depends on reciprocity. The recent visit by Under-Secretary- General DiCarlo in Kabul is yet another testament to the international community’s sincerity in this regard. It is now incumbent upon the Taliban to prove their good faith by upholding their international obligations and establishing the long-awaited mechanism to engage on UNAMA’s comprehensive approach.
Madame President,
As Afghanistan experiences a period of fragile stability, let us remind the Taliban that sustainable economic recovery and international reintegration begin with the reintegration of women into Afghan society and the absolute respect for their human rights.
I thank you.