UN draft urges Afghan rulers to reverse bans on women, girls

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — A U.N. resolution that calls on Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers to swiftly reverse their increasingly harsh restrictions on women and girls and condemns their ban on Afghan women working for the United Nations is set to be voted on Thursday by the Security Council. The draft resolution, obtained late Wednesday by The Associated Press, expresses “deep concern at the increasing erosion of respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and girls in Afghanistan by the Taliban” and reaffirms their “indispensable role” in Afghan society. It calls on the Taliban to swiftly restore their access to education, employment, freedom of movement and equal participation in public life. Diplomats said the resolution is almost certain to be approved.