Video address by H.E. Ms. Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland

UNESCO High-Level Conference on Women and Girls in Afghanistan
Paris, 7 March 2025

Madame Director-General,

Excellencies, friends,

I am honoured to address this conference on the situation of Women and Girls in Afghanistan. It is a timely discussion, with tomorrow marking the fourth International Women’s Day since the Taliban’s violent takeover in August 2021.

The situation for Afghan women and girls has become simply intolerable. The Taliban have subjected women and girls to systematic, brutal human rights violations, banning them from public life - including education -  rendering them socially, politically, economically and legally marginalized.    

Despite all this, Afghan women have shown incredible courage and leadership and we all bear the responsibility to ensure that their voices are heard and their human rights upheld.

Excellencies,

The international community must remain firm in supporting Afghan women and girls. Their full enjoyment of all their human rights, including the right to education, should be our ultimate goal. Advocacy must be relentless and strategic, ensuring that the rights of Afghan women and girls remain a global priority. This is urgent, not only for women and girls in Afghanistan, but for the human rights of women and girls across the globe.

First and foremost, we must not allow the situation to become normalized. Afghan women have repeatedly referred to the systemic discrimination and oppression they face, as gender apartheid. I hear their call and think it merits discussion.

Educational restrictions have a profound impact on women’s overall social, economic, and political rights. Denying girls their human right to education not only limits personal growth but also the development of society as a whole. Educated women are indispensable to any society. Luckily, there are today many well educated, resilient Afghan women keeping up the fight for the future of their country; their own future.

The impact of the restrictions put in place by the Taliban is devastating—not just in theory, but in real life. Let me share the story of a dear friend, Noorina, an Afghan doctor who fled to Iceland after the Taliban targeted her for providing women in rural areas essential health education. Today, Noorina has built a new life, earning Icelandic citizenship and contributing to our society. But her younger sisters, bright and full of potential, have not left their home in three years. Her mother, recently diagnosed with cancer, is being denied medical care—because under the brutal Taliban rule, women can only be treated by female doctors, and there are almost none left.

Stories like hers are heartbreaking—and they are far too common. They remind us that denying women access to education, healthcare, and independence is not just a policy choice; it is a life sentence. Educated women are indispensable to any society. Yet in Afghanistan, they are systematically erased. This must never be accepted. Afghan women must have a seat at the table whenever their country’s future is discussed.

Excellencies,

UNESCO plays a pivotal role in promoting education as a fundamental human right, and in responding to global challenges with gender equality as an underlying principle. Both inside and outside Afghanistan, UNESCO has supported initiatives to provide quality education for Afghan women and girls, advocate for their rights, and collaborate with local and international partners. By leveraging its expertise and resources, UNESCO can help them build a brighter future for themselves, working together with the international community to maintain this global priority.

I want to thank you all for your participation here today, especially the Afghan women participating in the panel and giving their testimonies from Afghanistan. I also wish to thank the Director-General and UNESCO for organizing this important conference and I look forward to seeing the follow-up on today’s discussions.

Let this serve as our call to action for the women and girls of Afghanistan. The situation of women and girls in Afghanistan is a global issue and not just an Afghan issue. Let us stand together in solidarity and work towards a world where every woman and girl can thrive.

Thank you.