KABUL - On 7 September, the de facto Afghan security forces prevented national female staff members and contractors of the United Nations from entering UN compounds in Kabul. 

This restriction was extended to UN field offices across the country, following written or verbal notifications from the de facto authorities. Security forces are visibly present at the entrances of UN premises in Kabul, Herat, and Mazar-i-Sharif to enforce the restriction. This is particularly concerning in view of continuing restrictions on the rights of Afghan women and girls.

The United Nations has also received reports of de facto security forces attempting to bar national female staff from travelling to field locations, including to support women and girls as part of the urgent earthquake response, and from accessing operational sites for Afghan returnees from Iran and Pakistan.

The United Nations in Afghanistan is engaging the de facto authorities and calls for the immediate lifting of the restrictions to continue critical support to the Afghan people.

Current actions disregard previously communicated arrangements between the de facto authorities and the United Nations in Afghanistan. Such arrangements have enabled the United Nations to deliver critical assistance across the country, through a culturally sensitive and principled approach ensuring the delivery of assistance by women, for women.

Life-saving humanitarian assistance and other essential services currently being delivered to hundreds of thousands of women, men, and children in earthquake-affected areas of eastern Afghanistan and along the Afghan-Iranian and Pakistan borders is at serious risk.

In response to this serious disruption, UNAMA and UN agencies, funds, and programmes in Afghanistan have implemented interim operational adjustments to protect staff and assess viable options for continuing their principled and essential work.

The prohibition on the movement of UN personnel and the obstruction of UN operations is a breach of international rules on the privileges and immunities of United Nations personnel.