Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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2342. To ask the Minister for Health to provide an update on her meeting with a women’s delegation from Afghanistan during her St Patrick’s Day visit to New York; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20289/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I held a meeting with the Afghan Women’s Forum on 12 March 2025. This meeting took place on the margins of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the UN. The Forum (Ms Habibi Sarabi, Ms Asila Wardak, Ms Jessica Neuwirth, Ms Katrina Avilla, Ms Ameera Rao) thanked Ireland for continuing to highlight, in various UN fora, the situation of women living in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime.

They recalled the Taliban’s recent decision to ban women from attending nursing and midwifery courses, which, coupled with bans in parts of the country on women being treated by male medical professionals, means many women will be forced to go without any healthcare. As Minister for Health, I expressed deep concern and sympathy with the women, noting what a dangerous situation many will find themselves in.

The group further highlighted a new law which bans the construction of windows in residential buildings that overlook areas used by women. Where such windows exist, walls should be built to obstruct the view. They likened this to imprisoning women in their own homes. In addition, since women are not permitted to walk outside without a man, many find they cannot leave their homes at all.

The group described horrific coping mechanisms women are forced to resort to, due to their inability to work and lack of access to money. They further noted rising levels of suicide by women.

As with many other groups, the Afghan Women’s Network has been hit by the US Administration’s cuts to foreign funding.

I was particularly struck by the experiences these women shared, and offered to personally reach out to EU Commissioner Hadja Lahbib on their situation, as well as to raise these issues with a group of likeminded Health Ministers on my next visit to Brussels.