Afghanistan: Taliban who have banned women from public spaces say no one is being discriminated against
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban said Thursday it was absurd to accuse them of gender discrimination and other human rights abuses, as four countries pledged to hold Afghan leaders accountable under international law for their treatment of women and girls.
Australia, Canada, Germany and the Netherlands are set to take legal action against the Taliban for violating a UN convention on women, to which Afghanistan is a party.
The countries launched the initiative on Wednesday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assemblywhich runs in New York through Monday.
Despite the promise of a more moderate government after taking power In 2021, the Taliban banned women and girls from education beyond sixth gradea lot public spaces And most jobs. In August, the Ministry of Vice and Virtue issued laws prohibit women from uncovering their faces and prohibit them from raise your voice in public.
More than 20 countries on Thursday expressed support for the proposed legal action against the Taliban.
“We condemn the gross and systematic violations and abuses of human rights in Afghanistan, in particular gender-based discrimination against women and girls,” the countries said.
“Afghanistan is responsible under international law for its serious and systematic violations of numerous obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women,” they added.
Both countries have said they do not politically recognize the Taliban as the legitimate leaders of the Afghan people.
“Afghanistan’s failure to fulfil its obligations under the human rights treaty constitutes a major obstacle to the normalisation of relations,” they said.
Taliban deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said human rights were protected in Afghanistan and no one was discriminated against.
“Unfortunately, an attempt is being made to spread propaganda against Afghanistan through the mouths of several fleeing (Afghan) women and distort the situation,” he said on the social media platform X.
“It is absurd to accuse the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan of violating human rights and discriminating on the basis of gender,” he added.
Taliban reject all reviews They denounce their policies, particularly those affecting women and girls, as interference. They argue that their actions are in line with their interpretation of Islamic law, or sharia.
Fereshta Abbasi, Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch, urged other countries to show support for the four countries’ legal actions and to involve Afghan women in the process.
“The announcement by Germany, Canada, Australia and the Netherlands could mark the beginning of a path towards justice for the gross human rights violations committed by the Taliban against Afghan women and girls,” Abbasi said.
