The dire state of girls and women in Afghanistan under the Taliban, a tragedy that has featured frequently in international media reports in the last two years, came up for discussion in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on September 27. The UNSC convened for an open briefing, followed by consultations focusing on the severe restrictions imposed on the rights of women and girls in the country. It concluded with 11 countries referring to the treatment of Afghan women as gender-based violence and calling for recognition of a gender apartheid under international law.

However, the discussions were also marked by a clear division among the international community and regional countries, which in a way has facilitated the Taliban’s policies.

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