The Taliban expressed their refusal on Thursday to be accused of gender discrimination and other human rights violations, amidst four nations pledging to enforce international law against Afghanistan’s rulers for their treatment of women and girls. Australia, Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands are preparing to initiate legal action against the Taliban for breaching a U.N. convention on women, which Afghanistan is a signatory to. This effort was launched during the U.N. General Assembly in New York, which commenced on Wednesday and concludes on Monday.
Despite prior vows of more lenient governance after seizing power in 2021, the Taliban have enforced restrictions preventing women and girls from pursuing education beyond sixth grade, accessing numerous public spaces, and holding many jobs. In addition, regulations issued by the Vice and Virtue Ministry in August banned women from showing their faces and prohibited them from speaking loudly in public. Over 20 countries expressed their backing on Thursday for the proposed legal action against the Taliban, condemning the systematic human rights abuses and gender-based discrimination against women and girls in Afghanistan.
These nations emphasized Afghanistan’s accountability under international law for consistently violating obligations outlined in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The countries clarified that they do not recognize the Taliban politically as the legitimate leaders of the Afghan population, citing Afghanistan’s failure to adhere to its human rights treaty obligations as a significant hindrance to normalizing relations. However, the Taliban’s deputy spokesman, Hamdullah Fitrat, countered the accusations, asserting that human rights were safeguarded in Afghanistan and dismissing claims of discrimination as propaganda fuelled by fugitive Afghan women.
Fitrat claimed that it was baseless to accuse the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan of human rights violations and gender discrimination. The Taliban routinely dismiss criticism of their policies, particularly those impacting women and girls, deeming it as unwarranted interference. Their stance remains rooted in their interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia. In response to the move by the four countries, Fereshta Abbasi, a researcher at Human Rights Watch specializing in Afghanistan, urged other nations to show their solidarity with the legal action and to involve Afghan women in the process as it progresses.
She expressed hope that the announcement by Germany, Canada, Australia, and the Netherlands could potentially mark the initial steps toward holding the Taliban accountable for their severe human rights transgressions against Afghan women and girls.
