The Taliban issued a statement on International Women’s Day, asserting that Afghan women live securely with their rights safeguarded. However, this declaration comes amid condemnation from the United Nations regarding the ongoing bans on employment and education for women and girls in Afghanistan. Since the Taliban regained control in 2021, women and girls have faced significant restrictions, including being barred from education beyond the sixth grade and employment in most sectors, as well as limitations in accessing public spaces.
Last August, the Taliban's Vice and Virtue Ministry published stringent laws prohibiting women from speaking in public and mandating coverage of their faces while outside their homes. In a statement made on his official social media account, Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban's chief spokesperson, did not specifically mention International Women’s Day, which is celebrated every year on March 8. Instead, he emphasized that the rights, dignity, and honor of women are priorities for the Taliban, identifying their governing structure as the "Islamic emirate."
Mujahid claimed that Afghan women experience security both physically and psychologically. He stated, “In accordance with Islamic law and the culture and traditions of Afghan society, the fundamental rights of Afghan women have been secured.” He further noted that discussions surrounding women's rights in Afghanistan are contextually different from those in Western societies, suggesting a unique cultural framework within which Afghan women’s rights are determined.
On the same day, the United Nations reiterated its call for the Taliban to lift the existing bans. Roza Otunbayeva, the head of the UN mission in Afghanistan, expressed concern over the marginalization of women and girls in public life, stating, “The erasure of women and girls from public life cannot be ignored.” She emphasized the importance of investing in their resilience and leadership, labeling them as essential to Afghanistan’s future.
Alison Davidian, the special representative for UN Women in Afghanistan, underscored the global responsibility towards Afghan women. She remarked, “Our response to their erasure is a test of our commitment to women and girls everywhere. We must stand with Afghan women as if our own lives depend on it—because they do.” Currently, the Taliban is isolated from the West and lacks international recognition as the official government of Afghanistan, primarily due to the restrictions imposed on women and girls.
In a related event, UNESCO hosted a high-level conference in Paris focusing on women and girls in Afghanistan. The conference featured notable participants, including Hamida Aman, the founder of the women-only radio station Radio Begum, and Fawzia Khoofi, a parliamentarian from the previous Western-backed government. Rights experts, including Richard Bennett, who is barred from entering Afghanistan, also participated in the discussions, highlighting the ongoing plight of women in the country.
In an apparent critique of the international focus on women's rights, Saif ul-Islam Khyber, a spokesperson for the Vice and Virtue Ministry, claimed that recent international conferences discussing women's issues have revealed the hypocrisy of certain organizations and European Union foundations. This statement reflects the Taliban's dismissive stance towards international concerns regarding women's rights in Afghanistan and their reluctance to engage with global norms surrounding gender equality.
The ongoing situation in Afghanistan remains fraught, with international agencies and advocacy groups urging the Taliban to reconsider their stance on women's rights. While the Taliban claims to protect the rights and security of Afghan women, the reality on the ground continues to reflect a systemic erasure of women from public life and access to education and employment opportunities.
