Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he has taken to ensure the protection of female humanitarian workers in Afghanistan.

Alongside international partners, we have continuously emphasised the need for adherence to international humanitarian and human rights law, and have called upon the Taliban to allow safe and unimpeded access to those delivering humanitarian aid, including female aid workers. The UN are seeking commitments from the Taliban to enable humanitarian work to continue; these must include guarantees for female aid workers.