Women’s Rights Activists Urge Inclusion in Taliban Negotiations

At a recent United Nations event, Afghan women and their international allies called for their inclusion in negotiations regarding Afghanistan’s future, highlighting increasing Taliban restrictions on women’s rights, VOA reported on Tuesday.

The event was co-hosted by Ireland, Indonesia, Switzerland, and Qatar. U.N. human rights experts criticized the law for reinforcing discriminatory policies, including mandatory dress codes and requiring male guardians for women.

Since regaining power in 2021, the Taliban have banned women from education, employment, and public spaces. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres likened the Taliban’s treatment of women to historical systems of oppression, pledging to amplify their voices. Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai echoed these sentiments, urging global leaders to hold the Taliban accountable for their actions against women in Afghanistan.