UN envoy: No recognition of Taliban until women’s rights and constitution issues are addressed

Roza Otunbayeva, the UN’s special envoy for Afghanistan, expressed deep concerns about the restrictions on Afghan women and girls, emphasizing their severe impact on half the population and broader consequences. “United Nations’ engagement with Afghan women reveals a growing level of depression among those who, apart from being denied the right to education and restricted […]

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Roza Otunbayeva, the UN’s special envoy for Afghanistan, expressed deep concerns about the restrictions on Afghan women and girls, emphasizing their severe impact on half the population and broader consequences.

“United Nations’ engagement with Afghan women reveals a growing level of depression among those who, apart from being denied the right to education and restricted in their movements, also feel they are becoming less respected in their homes and less involved in decision-making”, Otunbayeva said.

The United Nations Security Council meeting began on Friday evening, June 21.

Addressing the Security Council in New York, Otunbayeva said that Afghans expect the restrictions on women’s rights to be forcefully addressed in the upcoming meeting, but noted that these expectations cannot realistically be met in a single meeting.

“We are trying to establish a process and preserve an important mechanism of consultation. We must be realistic about how much each meeting in this process can deliver, especially at this early stage where confidence and trust are insufficient,” she said.

Otunbayeva added in the meeting that political opposition and civil activities are banned in Afghanistan, and the stability the Taliban refer to has been achieved through repression.

She noted that stability achieved through the suppression of opposing views is fragile.

The head of UNAMA also stated that the people of Afghanistan cannot interact with the Taliban without fear and cannot approach the group’s officials.

She emphasized that domestic legitimacy is a precursor to international legitimacy.

Meanwhile, Shino Mitsuko, Japan’s representative to the Security Council, remarked that her country will not compromise on Afghan women’s rights and that their voices must be heard at the third Doha meeting.

The third Doha meeting on Afghanistan is set to take place in less than ten days, but human rights issues, especially women’s rights, are not on its agenda.

This comes as the Taliban, over the past three years, have unprecedentedly suppressed various segments of the population, including opponents of their ideology, and have imposed heavy taxes on the business community amid difficult economic conditions.

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