Unifeed

UN / WOMEN IN AFGHANISTAN

“The lack of clarity of the Taliban's position on women's rights has generated incredible fear” which is “palpable across the country,” the UN WOMEN Deputy Country Representative in Afghanistan said on Wednesday. UNIFEED
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00:02:44
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2651986
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STORY: UN / WOMEN IN AFGHANISTAN
TRT: 2:44
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH /NATS

DATELINE: 8 SEPTEMBER 2021, NEW YORK CITY

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Shotlist

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1.Exterior shot, UN Headquarters

8 SEPTEMBER 2021, NEW YORK CITY

2.Wide shot, press room
3.Wide shot, spokesperson at the podium, Davidian on screen
4.SOUNDBITE (English) Alison Davidian, Deputy Country Representative for UN WOMEN in Afghanistan:
“Respect for women's rights is a litmus test for any governing authority, and against which any governing authority must be judged. With the announcement yesterday, the Taliban missed a critical opportunity to show the world that is truly committed to building an inclusive and prosperous society.”
5.Wide shot, spokesperson at the podium, Davidian on screen
6.SOUNDBITE (English) Alison Davidian, Deputy Country Representative for UN WOMEN in Afghanistan:
“The lack of clarity of the Taliban's position on women's rights has generated incredible fear. And this fear is palpable across the country. Memories are vivid of the Taliban's role in the 1990s where there was severe restriction on women's rights and women and girls are understandably afraid. And these fears are compounded by the fact that the Taliban is yet to fully articulate its position of women's rights.”
7.Wide shot, spokesperson at the podium, Davidian on screen
8.SOUNDBITE (English) Alison Davidian, Deputy Country Representative for UN WOMEN in Afghanistan:
“Every day we are receiving reports of rollbacks on women's rights. Women are prohibited from leaving the house without a mahram. In some provinces they stopped from going to work. Women protection centers that provide essential services for women who flee violence have been attacked and safe houses for women human rights defenders including journalists and activists are at full capacity.”
9.Wide shot, spokesperson at the podium, Davidian on screen
10.SOUNDBITE (English) Alison Davidian, Deputy Country Representative for UN WOMEN in Afghanistan:
“So, in terms of the UN WOMEN’s humanitarian response, we're working to provide support to ensure that the humanitarian response in Afghanistan does two things. Firstly, that it addresses the needs of the most affected women and girls. But secondly, and this is critical, that we also ensure the equal participation of women in the delivery of the humanitarian response, that we don't prioritize protection at the expense of participation.”
11.Wide shot, spokesperson at the podium, Davidian on screen
12.SOUNDBITE (English) Alison Davidian, Deputy Country Representative for UN WOMEN in Afghanistan:
“It's arguable that in the history of Afghanistan, that it hasn't face a humanitarian crisis of these proportions. But Afghanistan has an incredible resource, its people, men and women and youth. And so, it's critical going forward that the leaders on Afghanistan, draw on its diversity to chart a way forward through this crisis. They cannot afford not to.”
13.Wide shot, spokesperson at the podium, Davidian on screen

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Storyline

“The lack of clarity of the Taliban's position on women's rights has generated incredible fear” which is “palpable across the country,” the UN WOMEN Deputy Country Representative in Afghanistan said on Wednesday (8 Sep).

Alison Davidian, the Deputy Country Representative for UN WOMEN in Afghanistan spoke to reporters in New York via videolink from Kabul, one day after the Taliban announced the formation of a government without women participation.

Davidiam said her agency is disappointed by the Taliban’s decision and that “respect for women's rights is a litmus test for any governing authority, and against which any governing authority must be judged. With the announcement yesterday, the Taliban missed a critical opportunity to show the world that is truly committed to building an inclusive and prosperous society.”

She also said that “the lack of clarity of the Taliban's position on women's rights has generated incredible fear. And this fear is palpable across the country. Memories are vivid of the Taliban's role in the 1990s where there was severe restriction on women's rights and women and girls are understandably afraid. And these fears are compounded by the fact that the Taliban is yet to fully articulate its position of women's rights.”

“Every day we are receiving reports of rollbacks on women's rights,” Davidian said. “Women are prohibited from leaving the house without a mahram [male chaperon]. In some provinces they stopped from going to work. Women protection centers that provide essential services for women who flee violence have been attacked and safe houses for women human rights defenders including journalists and activists are at full capacity.”

The UN WOMEN will stay in Afghanistan and work to support the country’s women, the agency’s Deputy Country Representative said.

We're working to provide support to ensure that the humanitarian response in Afghanistan does two things,” she said. “Firstly, that it addresses the needs of the most affected women and girls. But secondly, and this is critical, that we also ensure the equal participation of women in the delivery of the humanitarian response, that we don't prioritize protection at the expense of participation.”

Afghanistan is going through its “arguably” worst crisis in its history, according to Davidian, but it “has an incredible resource, its people, men and women and youth.”

“It's critical going forward that the leaders on Afghanistan, draw on its diversity to chart a way forward through this crisis. They cannot afford not to,” she said.

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