Top UN woman urges Muslims: Move Taliban into 21st century

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The highest-ranking woman at the United Nations says she used everything in her “toolbox” during meetings with Taliban ministers to try to reverse their crackdown on Afghan women and girls. Amina Mohammed led a delegation to Afghanistan last week, and Wednesday she urged Muslim countries to help the Taliban move from the 13th century to the 21st century. U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths and heads of major aid groups are following up and pressing the Taliban to reverse their edict last month banning Afghan women from working for national and international non-governmental groups. Griffiths said from Kabul on Wednesday: “We reminded them that in humanitarian principles, non-discrimination was a key part.”