Human Rights Watch (HRW) in a report once again expressed concern over the imposition of restrictions on women in Afghanistan, saying that the “Taliban have systematically violated the rights of women and girls” in the last two and a half years.
“In the last two and a half years after regaining power in Afghanistan, the Taliban have created the world’s most serious women’s rights crisis. They have systematically violated the rights of women and girls including as they relate to education, paid employment, freedom of speech and movement, and political participation among many others,” the report reads.
According to the report, “the response of the international community has been tepid and seems to lack an appreciation of how the situation in Afghanistan has grave implications for the rights of women and girls globally.”
“We want everyone to understand that this is not just a problem for Afghans. What happened on August 15, 2021, when the Taliban took over, is that the bar for the worst situation for women in the world became much lower all of a sudden and it continues to get worse all the time because the Taliban’s attack on women’s rights continues to deepen,” said Heather Barr, director of the Women’s Rights Division at HRW.
In the meantime, Australia’s Interim Mission on Afghanistan, which is operating in Doha, also expressed its concern about the arbitrary arrest of women and girls in Afghanistan.
“We’re deeply concerned by reports that women and girls in Afghanistan have been arbitrarily detained and ill-treated since early January for allegedly violating the Taliban’s dress code for women. Afghan women’s fundamental rights must be respected,” Australia’s Interim Mission on Afghanistan said on X.
“They should stand with Afghan people, especially with women. Their rights [women] should be taken into account; Whether it is from the Islamic Emirate government or the world,” said Tafsir Seiyaposh, a women’s rights activist.
However, the Islamic Emirate rejected the claims of their violations of women’s rights in the country, saying that women’s rights are ensured in accordance with Sharia law.
“The rights granted by Islam and Sharia and accepted by Afghan society are secured. We are working to address value issues in some areas, like Afghan customs, and this can be resolved when the institutions are in harmony with Afghanistan,” said Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman of the Islamic Emirate.
Earlier, the Acting Minister of Virtue and Vice had called the violation of women’s rights and their arrest because of “bad hijab” propaganda.
