UN Expert Highlights Severe Restrictions on Afghan Women
According to a recent report by the UN’s special rapporteur Richard Bennett, women and girls in Afghanistan are being systematically removed from public life under the Taliban’s current regime. This report, presented to the UN’s Human Rights Council in Geneva, details the extreme measures taken by the Taliban to enforce their control, including severe restrictions on women’s freedoms. Bennett emphasized that while the Taliban have made some efforts against narcotics and terrorism, there has been no meaningful advancement in human rights, particularly concerning women and girls.
International Response to the Taliban’s Treatment of Women
Bennett urgently called on the international community to maintain a stance that rejects normalizing relations with the Taliban unless significant improvements in human rights are observed. He stressed that all diplomatic engagements with the Taliban should prioritize human rights discussions, especially regarding the status of women. Despite these calls for a stringent international stance, no country has officially recognized the Taliban since their ascension to power in August 2021, reflecting global hesitancy due to ongoing human rights abuses and terrorism concerns.
The Broader Impact of Taliban Policies on Afghan Society
The special rapporteur’s findings reveal a grim reality for women in Afghanistan, with instances of women being detained for not adhering to the Taliban’s dress code and widespread restrictions preventing women from accessing education, healthcare, and even public spaces without a male escort. The unpredictable enforcement of these oppressive policies has instilled a pervasive climate of fear among women and girls across the country. Bennett’s report calls for a firm international resistance against normalizing these conditions without substantial progress in human rights, underscoring the critical nature of global attention and action to address these severe issues.