US Envoy: Afghan women’s restrictions costing country over $1 billion annually

Rina Amiri, the US special envoy for Afghan women, highlighted the staggering economic toll inflicted by the Taliban’s restrictive measures on women and girls in Afghanistan. According to Amiri, these extreme decrees are costing the nation more than $1 billion annually. Amiri emphasized the detrimental impact of the Taliban’s edicts, which not only curtail women’s […]

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Rina Amiri, the US special envoy for Afghan women, highlighted the staggering economic toll inflicted by the Taliban’s restrictive measures on women and girls in Afghanistan. According to Amiri, these extreme decrees are costing the nation more than $1 billion annually.

Amiri emphasized the detrimental impact of the Taliban’s edicts, which not only curtail women’s access to education and employment but also exacerbate Afghanistan’s dependency on foreign aid. She underscored the urgent need to reverse these policies to foster economic growth and alleviate poverty in the country.

“The edicts prohibiting Afghan women & girls’ education & employment are hurting all Afghans. To lift Afghanistan out of aid dependency & poverty, these policies must be reversed,” she said in a post on social media platform X.

Contrary to Amiri’s assertions, Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman of the Taliban, defended the Taliban’s record on women’s issues. Mujahid contended that the Taliban has facilitated job opportunities for women in recent years and contributed to the improvement of Afghanistan’s economy.

Despite Mujahid’s claims, reports from various sources indicate a significant regression in women’s rights under Taliban rule, particularly concerning education and employment. Many fear a return to the repressive policies that characterized the Taliban’s previous rule in the 1990s.

The international community faces a complex dilemma in engaging with the Taliban-led government, balancing concerns for human rights, particularly women’s rights, with the imperative to address Afghanistan’s pressing humanitarian needs. The situation underscores the challenges of promoting gender equality amid political instability and conflicting priorities.

As Afghanistan grapples with a dire humanitarian crisis exacerbated by political turmoil and economic instability, the suppression of women’s education and employment by the Taliban emerges as a critical issue.

Efforts to address these challenges must prioritize safeguarding the rights and well-being of Afghan women and girls, while also seeking viable solutions to the nation’s broader economic and social challenges.

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