Comments to the media by Roza Isakovna Otunbayeva, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), on the situation in Afghanistan after the Security Council consultations. After the Security Council, the Special Representative for Afghanistan spoke to journalists. Asked about the de facto authorities and international recognition, she said “Certainly, they do understand that without recognition is very difficult to move on. And I would say just that they want it for sure, but they do understand also how difficult it’s to reach because they do not comply with so many international standards. There is part of the government that understands that they should overcome this, but someone else above decided that no, women and girls should be behind the scenes.”