Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women, said that despite the immense suffering Afghan women endure under Taliban rule, the majority of them continue to hold on to hope — a hope that she described as more than a dream. “The hope of Afghan women to continue their education is not a futile wish,” Bahous said. “It is a political statement, a conviction, and an inspiration.”
She made these remarks during a United Nations Security Council session on Monday, October 6 (14 Mizan), held under the theme “Women, Peace and Security,” marking the 25th anniversary of Resolution 1325. The landmark resolution, adopted in 2000, recognized women’s leadership and participation as central to achieving international peace and security.
Bahous highlighted that UN Women’s continuous monitoring shows that 92 percent of Afghans—both women and men—believe that girls should be allowed to continue their education through secondary school. Yet, she noted, the right to education for Afghan girls has been systematically undermined.
“The hope of Afghan women,” she emphasized, “is not merely a coping mechanism amid oppression. It is a political statement. A belief. An inspiration.”
Reflecting on the broader global picture, Bahous said that the 25-year record of Resolution 1325 is a mixture of achievements and setbacks. Despite bold and admirable commitments made by the international community, she acknowledged that implementation has often been weak, and investments insufficient.
Currently, 676 million women and girls live in areas affected by deadly conflicts — the highest number since the 1990s. Bahous warned that this grim reality coincides with rising military expenditures and growing resistance to gender equality and multilateralism — trends she said are eroding the very foundations of peace and global security.
She called for concrete action to ensure women’s meaningful participation in peace negotiations and to support them as peacekeepers, peacebuilders, and defenders of human rights. Bahous also stressed the urgent need to end all forms of violence against women and girls.
