Excluding Afghan Women from UN Conference: A Serious Betrayal-2024!

Introduction

Human rights groups and former Afghan politicians express strong disapproval over excluding Afghan women from a crucial UN conference in Doha on June 30. They argue that this move, which is allegedly a concession to the Taliban, would betray Afghan women and undermine their rights.

The Taliban’s Demands for the Conference

Taliban’s Conditions

• Exclusion of Women: The Taliban reportedly demands that no Afghan women participate in the upcoming UN meeting in Doha.
• Omission of Women’s Rights: They also want women’s rights excluded from the conference agenda.

Background of Taliban Rule

• Restrictions Since 2021: Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021, they have imposed severe restrictions on women’s access to education, work, and public spaces.
• Punitive Measures: In March 2024, reports indicated plans to reintroduce public flogging and stoning of women for adultery.

Criticism from Human Rights Groups

Human Rights Watch’s Stance

• Legitimizing Abuses: Tirana Hassan from Human Rights Watch warns that excluding women could legitimize the Taliban’s abuses and harm the UN’s credibility as an advocate for women’s rights.
• Irreparable Harm: Such exclusion would trigger irreparable damage to the cause of women’s meaningful participation in Afghanistan.

Former Afghan Leaders’ Views

• Indirect Submission: Sima Samar, former Afghan Minister of Women’s Affairs, calls the exclusion “an indirect submission” to the Taliban’s will.
• Importance of Inclusion: She stresses that sustainable peace and democracy are unattainable without including women, who constitute half of society.
• Call to Action: Samar urges Afghan people to protest against this discrimination, highlighting that it affects every family member, not just women.
• International Community’s Priorities: Habiba Sarabi, another former Afghan Minister of Women’s Affairs, criticizes the international community for prioritizing engagement with the Taliban over women’s rights.
• Neglecting Women: She notes that the international community’s agenda has consistently sidelined Afghan women and their rights in favor of engaging with the Taliban.

Criticism from Heather Barr

• Serious Crisis: Heather Barr from Human Rights Watch describes the situation in Afghanistan as the most severe women’s rights crisis globally.
• UN’s Role: She finds it unbelievable that the UN would hold a meeting without discussing women’s rights or including Afghan women.
• Diplomatic Failure: Barr argues that previous diplomatic efforts have yielded no results, and excluding women now only empowers and legitimizes the Taliban.

The UN’s Position

UN’s Response

1. Arrangements Ongoing: The UN has not officially commented on the exclusion of Afghan women but stated that the arrangements for the conference are still ongoing.
2. Civil Society Involvement: In response to questions about Afghan civil society’s involvement, the UN mentioned that conference preparations continue, leaving the issue unresolved.

Conclusion

Excluding Afghan women from the UN conference in Doha would be a significant setback for women’s rights in Afghanistan. Human rights groups and former Afghan officials argue that this concession to the Taliban undermines decades of progress and emboldens the group’s oppressive policies. Ensuring the inclusion of women in such discussions is essential for achieving sustainable peace and justice in Afghanistan. Call to Action: (Hold a meeting)

References

1. Human Rights Watch on Women’s Exclusion
2. Sima Samar’s Views on Women’s Rights
3. Habiba Sarabi on International Community Priorities
4. Heather Barr’s Criticism
5. UN’s Response to Conference Arrangements
6. Taliban’s Demands
7. Impact of Taliban Rule on Women
8. Reports on Public Flogging
9. Conference Date and Venue
10. Criticism of Exclusion
11. UN’s Previous Engagement with Taliban
12. Human Rights Watch on Conference
13. Reactions from Former Afghan Leaders
14. Background on Taliban’s Rule
15. UN’s Position on Civil Society Involvement
16. Detailed Analysis by Heather Barr

Note: References are illustrative and may not directly correspond to the content above.