UK diplomat meets Abbas Stanikzai on education ban, humanitarian aid, and Doha peace process

Robert Chatterton Dickson, Chargé d’Affaires at the UK Mission to Afghanistan, visited Kabul and held discussions with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai On December 17, 2024, . The talks focused on the reported ban on medical education for women, UK humanitarian aid, and the UN-led Doha peace process.

The UK Chargé d’Affaires said “We are deeply concerned by reports of a ban on women accessing medical education and training in Afghanistan, including preventing women from becoming midwives and nurses. We strongly condemn this decision and urge Taliban leaders to reverse this latest restriction”. Afghanistan has the ninth highest ratio of women dying from pregnancy and childbirth related causes in the world, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

He added “This will threaten the lives and health of countless women and girls who will be denied critical medical care, as well as their children”. The UK stressed the importance of NGOs in delivering vital humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.

On the UN led Doha process, the UK Chargé d’Affaires said “The UK supports the UN independent assessment on Afghanistan as the best way forward for fully integrating Afghanistan into the international system”.

He added “There are many potential areas for collaboration, but the UK needs to see positive movement by the Taliban towards upholding its international human rights obligations”.

In addition to meetings with other Acting Ministers, the UK Chargé d’Affaires met with Afghan women, humanitarian NGOs, the private sector and diplomatic representatives. Afghanistan is one of the UK’s largest bilateral aid programmes, with the UK pledging £161 million in aid (14.1 billion Afghanis) for April 2024 to March 2025.

The violation of women’s rights, especially in terms of access to education, remains a critical issue in international discussions surrounding Afghanistan’s future.

The UK also reiterated its commitment to providing humanitarian aid to those in need, emphasizing that human rights and access to education are fundamental to the well-being and development of Afghan society. As the international community continues to monitor the situation, there are growing calls for the Taliban to respect the rights of women and children, with education seen as a key path to improving living conditions and fostering long-term peace and stability in Afghanistan.

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