The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in a statement said that the ban on its female Afghan staff working is “unlawful under international law, including the UN Charter, and for that reason the United Nations cannot comply.”

The UN in a statement once again reiterated its “unequivocal condemnation” of the “Taliban de facto authorities’ decision" to ban Afghan women from working for the UN in Afghanistan.

“Through this ban, the Taliban de facto authorities seek to force the United Nations into having to make an appalling choice between staying and delivering in support of the Afghan people and standing by the norms and principles we are duty-bound to uphold,” UNAMA said.

“It should be clear that any negative consequences of this crisis for the Afghan people will be the responsibility of the de facto authorities.”

According to the statement, the UN special envoy for Afghanistan, Roza Otunbayeva, has initiated an operational review period up to 5 May 2023.

“During this period, the UN in Afghanistan will conduct the necessary consultations, make required operational adjustments, and accelerate contingency planning for all possible outcomes,” the statement said.

At a session of the Commission on Population and Development, Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General, drawing attention to the plight of Afghan women and girls, called on the “de facto authorities" in Afghanistan to reverse the bans on education and employment.

The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid, in reaction to Mohammed’s remarks, said that there should be no interference with Afghanistan’s internal affairs.

“Any decision that has been made, it has been made based on the law. And it is based on the wishes of the people of Afghanistan and the situation. The UN should not limit its activities because of individuals and should continue its help to the people of Afghanistan and not interfere in Afghanistan’s internal affairs,” he said.

This comes as some women activists urged the Islamic Emirate to allow women’s access to work.

“There is no benefit from this for the people of Afghanistan. The people of Afghanistan, especially the youth, want to be educated,” said Suraya Paikan, a women’s rights defender.

“We call on the Islamic Emirate to immediately review their decision on girls’ school and women’s work,” said Hussna, women’s rights activist.

The UN’s statement said that the United Nations will maintain principled and constructive engagement with all possible levels of the "Taliban de facto authorities," as mandated by the UNSC.

“UN national personnel – women and men – have been instructed not to report to UN offices, with only limited and calibrated exceptions made for critical tasks,” UNAMA said.