Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon and other UN Security Council signatories of the statement of Shared Commitments for the Principles of Women, Peace and Security condemned the policy of the Taliban authorities towards women in Afghanistan and demanded the end of discrimination against them in a joint appeal.

Reading out the joint statement at the UN headquarters in New York on 18 September, ahead of a Security Council session dedicated to Afghanistan, Fajon was joined by representatives of Ecuador, France, Guyana, Japan, Malta, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Switzerland, the UK and the US.

The statement reiterates their concerns "regarding the deterioration of the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan".

Speaking on behalf of all the signatories as a representative of a country that currently chairs the Security Council, Fajon stressed the important role of Afghan women in "ensuring the prospect for a peaceful, stable, prosperous and inclusive Afghanistan, including the country's long-term development".

"Since their takeover, the Taliban have adopted numerous measures, targeting women and girls and severely restricting their full, equal, meaningful and safe participation in all spheres - economic, cultural, social, political and public life," she said.

These human rights violations and repression have been going on for more than 1,100 days, Fajon said, underlining the severity of the situation.

This is the case despite Afghanistan being a state party to various human rights instruments and as such obliged to respect the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, among others.

"The systematic and comprehensive nature of these restrictions on the exercise of human rights of women and girls may amount to gender persecution and must stop now," reads the statement.

The signatories once again condemned more than 70 Taliban edicts and decrees curtailing these rights, including a ban on education for girls beyond sixth grade and the expansion of these restrictions under the so-called Law on the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice.

"These actions by the Taliban are a further obstacle in efforts to have increased engagement between the Taliban and the international community towards improving the lives of Afghan people," Fajon said as she reiterated the group's call for the Taliban to immediately end these discriminatory policies and practices.

They also urged all UN members to use their influence and join the signatories' efforts. They intend to call on the UN secretary-general to make sure that these issues are "discussed in engagement with all Afghan political actors, including the Taliban".

The signatories made a similar appeal on 6 September.