UN ‘increasingly worried’ about harassment of staff by Taliban in Afghanistan

The United Nations is “increasingly worried” about the harassment its staff is facing from the Taliban in Afghanistan.

“We are … increasingly worried by the growing number of incidents of harassment and intimidation against our national staff. We will continue to do everything possible to support our staff and keep them from harm’s way,” U.N. special envoy on Afghanistan Deborah Lyons told the Security Council on Thursday, Reuters reported.

“The U.N. cannot conduct its work – work that is so essential to the Afghan people – if its personnel are subjected to intimidation, fear for their lives, and cannot move freely,” Lyons added.

The Taliban gained full control of Afghanistan in August and has recently announced its all-male government to run the country.

Not only have U.N. staff been harassed, but women on staff have been barred from working in the office or forced to go to work accompanied by a man, senior U.S. diplomat Jeffrey DeLaurentis told the council, according to Reuters. 

“To call these reported incidents ‘outrageous’ would be an understatement. All U.N. staff members must be able to conduct their work without undue burden and without discrimination as to who they are,” DeLaurentis said.

There have been international calls to the Taliban to respect human rights, especially women’s rights as people fear women will not be allowed to be educated or go to work under the regime.

Classes have started up again in the country with women and men separated by a curtain, according to Reuters.

As the Taliban now has full control, countries are working on how to help Afghanistan without emboldening the regime. 

The U.N. said Thursday Afghanistan’s frozen assets need to be released while the Taliban is in charge to “avoid a severe economic downturn.”