Unsettled controversy between United Nations officials and the Taliban on the issue of security is making life even more difficult Afghan widows and orphans.
On October 23, the UN and the Taliban signed a security agreement which stated that Taliban is responsible for the security of UN personnel. However, UN officials have not yet returned to Afghanistan, citing as their reason Taliban “failure to fully implement the last month agreement with the United Nations.”
The absence of international staff is most harmful to the 40 thousand widows and orphans who depend on international organizations for food.
The October 23 agreement states that a team of UN staff must return to Afghanistan to assess Taliban progress on the security agreement. According to a UN official, staff will not return to the region until the agreement has been fully implemented.
Aside from security, international agencies take issue with the Taliban’s treatment of women, namely inadequate health care, lack of access to schools and to work. An agreement is yet to be focused on women’s human rights in Afghanistan.
