Joint Statement by 24 Countries in Support of Afghan Women
Foreign ministers from 24 countries, in a joint statement on the occasion of International Women’s Day, expressed support for Afghan women and called on the Taliban to lift restrictions on women’s and girls’ work and education.
This joint statement was issued by the foreign ministers of Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Qatar, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the High Representative of the European Union.
In the statement, the foreign ministers said: On the occasion of International Women’s Day, March 8, 2023, we collectively draw attention to the situation in Afghanistan, which over the past year and a half has witnessed one of the most severe declines in respect for the human rights of women and girls globally.