UN asks Taliban to reverse its course on treatment of Afghan women

Two years after Taliban extremists took over Kabul after democratically-elected President Ashraf Ghani fled Afghanistan following a disastrous USwithdrawal, the South Asian nation's new rulerscontinue to violate many human rights including implementing a system of total discrimination, exclusion and subjugation of women and girls, UN experts said on August 15.

In recent months, WION has reported exclusively on Taliban's systemic subjugation of women's rights. Afghan women have called upon international community to not abandon their cause and ensure revival of their rights to study and work.

Also watch | Afghan women speak to WION from the ground: 'We want our freedoms back' | WION Originals

The gap between promises and practices by Afghanistan’s de facto authorities has widened and the idea of a "reformed" Taliban has been exposed as mistaken, the UN experts said.

"Consistent credible reports of summary executions and acts tantamount to enforced disappearances, widespread arbitrary detention, torture, and ill treatment, as well as arbitrary displacement have caused increased concern," an official UN readout said.

Women, ethnic minorities worst-hit: UN experts

The report added that after Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, the repressive policies havehit women and girls, ethnic, religious and other minorities, people with disabilities, displaced persons, LGBTQ+ persons, human rights defenders and other civil society actors, journalists, artists, educators, and former government and security officials.

"Despite reassurances by the Taliban de facto authorities that any restrictions, particularly in terms of access to education would be temporary, the facts on the ground have demonstrated an accelerated, systematic, and all engulfing system of segregation, marginalisation and persecution," it added.

Taliban's policies akin to gender apartheid

The report asserted that the systemic mode of Taliban's repression has become more rigorous since last year.

"The collective practices constitute gender persecution, a crime against humanity, and has necessitated a discussion about the codification of gender apartheid," it added.

WION confirmed last week when Taliban expanded its ban on women's education and said that girls beyond third grade cannot attend schools in Afghanistan.

The UN report further added that thede facto authorities in several provinces have instructed schools recently that girls over 10 years old are not allowed to study, while previously the ban started at Grade 6.

"Women have even been denied the ability to seek comfort in some of their own spaces such as beauty salons that were frequented and run by women, as these have been recently ordered to close," the report said.

"Both Afghan women and men, including many community leaders and teachers have voiced their profound disappointment at the inability of girls and women to continue with their education," it added.

The UN urged Taliban to 'immediately reverse course on the treatment of women and girls', and "allow women to work and run businesses, including the employment of women to deliver essential services to women and girls, and allow all women and girls to enjoy all human rights, including freedom of movement and participation in political and public life, as well as to ensure equal and meaningful representation of women in decision-making processes."

It further asked the de-facto authorities of Afghanistan to "immediately reopen schools at all levels and universities for girls and women and fulfill the right to education, which includes access to quality and comprehensive education."

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