UN: Ban on Afghan female staffers by Taliban unacceptable

By RAHIM FAIEZ and EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The United Nations says it cannot accept a Taliban decision to bar Afghan female staffers from working at the agency, calling it an “unparalleled” violation of women’s rights. The statement Wednesday comes a day after the U.N. said it had been informed by Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban that Afghan women would no longer be allowed to work for the world body. That announcement came after the U.N. mission in the country expressed concern that its female staffers were prevented from reporting to work in eastern Nangarhar province. The Taliban have not commented publicly on the ban and have not released a statement.