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The UN Human Rights Council is to receive a report from the UN鈥檚 special expert on Afghanistan describing the Taliban鈥檚 repression of women and girls as "gender apartheid".

The systematic exclusion of women from public life under Taliban rule means even UN aid agencies can no longer employ female staff. This has led some to question whether the UN should carry on delivering billions of dollars worth of humanitarian relief in Afghanistan.

As the United Nations presents its assessment of the conditions for women and girls there - at a special meeting of the Human Rights Council in Geneva 鈥� Newsday spoke to Samira Rafaela.

She is a Member of the European Parliament for the Democrats 66 - a social liberal political party in the Netherlands - who sits on the committee for women's rights and gender equality and is a vocal supporter of Afghan women.

鈥淲hen it comes to education, participation, sexual rights鈥� everything is being controlled [by the Taliban] 鈥�we see no serious sign that the Taliban is willing to respect the rights of women and girls.鈥�

鈥淲e see the international community is lacking here鈥� [it] needs to step in to ensure women and girls have access to education鈥� and this is where I see a lack of cooperation.鈥�

(Pic: FILE: An Afghan teenager teaches her younger sister at their home in Kabul, Afghanistan; Credit: Reuters)

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