Mike Waltz, the United States representative to the United Nations, strongly criticized the Taliban’s policies toward Afghan women and girls during a UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan on Wednesday, September 16.
Referring to the Taliban’s extensive restrictions on women and girls, Waltz said that a generation of Afghan women, after years of experiencing greater freedom and improved living conditions, now faces the loss of educational and social opportunities. He emphasized that Afghan girls are being denied education beyond the sixth grade for the fifth consecutive year.
The U.S. representative also referred to remarks made by renowned American actress Meryl Streep at the United Nations in 2024. At the time, Streep said that a female cat in Kabul has more freedom than an Afghan woman because the cat can leave the house, sit in the sunlight, and move around in public, while women and girls face extensive restrictions.
Waltz also criticized the Taliban for preventing Afghan women working for the United Nations from entering their workplaces. He said that, on the one hand, the Taliban seek engagement and international legitimacy, while on the other hand, they prevent Afghan women from participating in important areas of public and professional life. UN reports have also documented the continuation of severe restrictions on women and girls, including in education, employment, and participation in public life.
In another part of his remarks, Waltz called for “action, not words” from the Taliban and said the Security Council should demand practical results from the group. He also raised the detention of foreign nationals, the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, and the country’s human rights situation.
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