Female cats and squirrels have more freedom than women in Afghanistan, said actress and activist Meryl Streep at the United Nations. The statement, which is now making headlines across the world came during a high-level side event on the Inclusion of Women in the Future of Afghanistan on the margins of the Summit of the Future at the United Nations.

The event featured a short version of a new documentary film – The Sharp Edge of Peace – on the participation of four Afghan women leaders in the Doha talks prior to the Taliban takeover. Introducing the film, actress and activist Meryl Streep said, "the way that this culture, this society has been upended is a cautionary tale for the rest of the world. In the 70s. Most of the civil servants were women. Over half the teachers, doctors, there were women, jurists, lawyers. In every profession. And then the world upended. And today in Kabul, a female cat has more freedoms than a woman. A cat may go sit on her front stoop and feel the sun on her face. She may chase a squirrel into the park. A squirrel has more rights than a girl in Afghanistan today because the public parks have been closed to women and girls by the Taliban. A bird may sing in Kabul. But a girl may not. And a woman may not in public. This is extraordinary. This is a suppression of the natural law."

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UN Secretary-General António Guterres attended a high-level event organized by the Permanent Missions of Ireland, Indonesia, Switzerland, and Qatar, in collaboration with the Women's Forum on Afghanistan.

In his remarks, Guterres condemned the extreme gender-based discrimination in Afghanistan, describing it as "a systematic abuse of women and girls" and a violation of human rights. He emphasized that such discrimination is a form of self-harm on a national scale.

The Secretary-General expressed deep concern over the worsening situation for Afghan women and girls, particularly following the recent enactment of a law that formalizes their exclusion from public life. He noted that Afghan women are now largely confined to their homes, with limited access to education and employment, undermining the country’s economic potential. Guterres stressed that Afghanistan cannot achieve global progress without recognizing the rights and contributions of half its population -- women.

Speaking to media post-event, Former Deputy Speaker of the Afghan Parliament, Fawziya Koofi, expressed her frustration, stating, "In Afghanistan, it's a government of the Taliban, by the Taliban, and for the Taliban. No one else is included." She emphasized that while women are heavily impacted, men are also affected by the current regime.

Koofi voiced her disappointment over the lack of sufficient support from Afghan men, saying, "We are disappointed that men have not stood up for us as much as they should." She acknowledged the challenges, noting the unrest, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions, and enforced disappearances that make the situation difficult.

Despite these hardships, Koofi called on Afghan fathers, brothers, and husbands, who have relied on female representatives for the past two decades, to now show solidarity and take action. "We need them to help us reclaim our country," she urged.