UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has expressed alarm over several women activists who have gone “missing” or “disappeared” in Afghanistan in recent weeks and urged the Taliban to ensure their safety.
Mr Guterres said on social media he was “increasingly concerned” about the whereabouts of the campaigners amid a crackdown on opponents by the Taliban, who swept back to power last August.
“I am increasingly concerned about the well-being of missing women activists in Afghanistan. Several have ‘disappeared’, some not heard from in weeks,” Mr Guterres posted late on Wednesday.
“I strongly urge the Taliban to ensure their safety so that they can return home.”
A Taliban spokesman did not immediately answer The National’s request for comment.
The UN’s human rights team in Geneva this week raised concerns about four Afghan women activists and their relatives who were detained or abducted in Kabul after a series of women’s rights protests.
Parwana Ibrahim Khil and Tamana Paryani were abducted with their relatives on January 19 after taking part in a protest in the capital Kabul on January 16, the UN says.
Mursal Ayar and Dr Zahra Mohammadi were detained at the start of February.
Shortly before she was taken, footage of Ms Paryani was shared online showing her alarmed, warning of Taliban fighters at her door.
Women have staged small protests in Kabul and other Afghan cities since the Taliban swept back to power, complaining about curbs on women’s freedoms, school closures and fewer job opportunities.
Some have described being threatened and harassed by Taliban militants; others have gone into hiding.
When the Taliban last governed Afghanistan from 1996 and 2001, they were notorious for rights abuses and restrictions on women’s clothing and when they could leave their homes.
Despite promising softer rule, they are again curbing women's freedoms, including segregating workplaces and shuttering girls' secondary schools.
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TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Young women have more “financial grit”, but fall behind on investing
In an October survey of young adults aged 16 to 25, Charles Schwab found young women are more driven to reach financial independence than young men (67 per cent versus. 58 per cent). They are more likely to take on extra work to make ends meet and see more value than men in creating a plan to achieve their financial goals. Yet, despite all these good ‘first’ measures, they are investing and saving less than young men – falling early into the financial gender gap.
While the women surveyed report spending 36 per cent less than men, they have far less savings than men ($1,267 versus $2,000) – a nearly 60 per cent difference.
In addition, twice as many young men as women say they would invest spare cash, and almost twice as many young men as women report having investment accounts (though most young adults do not invest at all).
“Despite their good intentions, young women start to fall behind their male counterparts in savings and investing early on in life,” said Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, senior vice president, Charles Schwab. “They start off showing a strong financial planning mindset, but there is still room for further education when it comes to managing their day-to-day finances.”
Ms Schwab-Pomerantz says parents should be conveying the same messages to boys and girls about money, but should tailor those conversations based on the individual and gender.
"Our study shows that while boys are spending more than girls, they also are saving more. Have open and honest conversations with your daughters about the wage and savings gap," she said. "Teach kids about the importance of investing – especially girls, who as we see in this study, aren’t investing as much. Part of being financially prepared is learning to make the most of your money, and that means investing early and consistently."
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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