• Dozens of Afghan women working for the UN received explicit death threats.
• The Taliban claims they are not behind the threats and are investigating.
• The situation reflects broader restrictions on women's rights under Taliban rule.

A recent UN report has revealed that explicit death threats have been made against dozens of Afghan women working for the United Nations. The threats, allegedly originating from unidentified individuals related to their UN work, have raised significant concerns about safety and security, prompting the UN to implement interim protective measures. The Taliban has stated that their personnel are not responsible for these threats and has launched an investigation, according to Al Jazeera, South China Morning Post, and India Times.

The report indicates that these threats are part of a broader environment of increased restrictions placed on women since the Taliban regained power in 2021. Specifically, the Taliban barred Afghan women from working in both domestic and international NGOs before extending this ban to the UN, leading to a significant disruption of humanitarian work across Afghanistan. The allegations of Taliban interference in operations by NGOs and the UN have faced denial from Taliban officials, as noted by South China Morning Post and India Times.

The situation underscores severe limitations on the personal freedoms and safety of women in Afghanistan, with reports of enforcement actions by the Vice and Virtue Ministry, including the requirement for women to wear full-body cloaks. There have been instances where women were punished for not adhering to such dress codes, which illustrates the broader crackdown on women's rights. This context is further highlighted by the UN's ongoing concern regarding women's access to public spaces and basic rights, according to Al Jazeera, South China Morning Post, and India Times.