What's happened
The UN Security Council has demanded the Taliban revoke policies oppressing women and girls, including banning girls' education above the sixth grade and women's right to work and move freely.
Why it matters
The demand highlights the ongoing struggle for women's rights in Afghanistan and the international community's efforts to ensure gender equality and human rights in the country.
What the papers say
AP News emphasizes the UN Security Council's condemnation of the Taliban's repression of women and girls. The Independent provides details on the closed council meeting and the Taliban's refusal to attend. New York Times and Al Jazeera highlight the Taliban's refusal to attend a UN conference and their demands for official recognition as the country's legitimate rulers.
How we got here
The Taliban's refusal to attend UN-sponsored meetings and their demands for official recognition have been ongoing issues, reflecting the challenges in engaging with the de facto rulers of Afghanistan.
More on these topics
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The Taliban or Taleban, who refer to themselves as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, are a Sunni Islamic fundamentalist political movement and military organization in Afghanistan currently waging war within that country.
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Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central and South Asia.
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The United Nations is an intergovernmental organization that aims to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.
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António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres GCC GCL is a Portuguese politician and diplomat who is serving as the ninth Secretary-General of the United Nations. Previously, he was the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees between 2005 and 2015.
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Doha is the capital and most populous city of the State of Qatar. It has a population of 956,460. The city is located on the coast of the Persian Gulf in the east of the country, North of Al Wakrah and South of Al Khor.
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Rosemary Anne DiCarlo is an American diplomat who has served as United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs since May 2018.
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The United Nations Security Council is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, and approving any changes to the UN