OSCE: Practical Steps Must Be Taken to Support Afghan Women

The meeting was organized at the initiative of Malta’s Permanent Mission to the UN, in collaboration with the Afghan Embassy and Permanent Mission.

Féridun Sinirlioğlu, Secretary General of the OSCE, emphasized in his speech that member states must take concrete and serious steps to ensure the safety and full participation of Afghan women in all aspects of society. He also called for financial support for special initiatives for Afghan women and the facilitation of visa issuance for those involved in OSCE educational programs.

He stated: "Only through such support can we ensure that Afghan women continue to access education and transformational resources."

Participants at the meeting also underscored the importance of education for women and girls in Afghanistan and their key role in the country's political structure. They described girls’ education as a fundamental tool for empowerment and a pathway toward sustainable peace.

Veronique Pepin-Halle, Canada’s representative to the UN, also spoke about the difficult situation of Afghan women, saying: "Afghan women and girls are calling for stronger and more effective action. We cannot remain silent or indifferent to their plight. They have shown extraordinary courage, and we have a duty to stand by them."

She added: "Positive transformation requires long-term planning and may take a generation; but collapse can happen in just a few days."

This is despite the fact that with the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan, women and girls in the country have been deprived of their rights to education, work, and social participation.