June 10, 2022
2 mins read

HRW: Violations of women’s rights growing in Afghanistan

“The list of Taliban violations of the rights of women and girls is long and growing,” the high-ranking HRW official said…reports Asian Lite News

The list of Taliban violations of the rights of women and girls is long and growing, said Heather Barr, Women’s Rights Division at Human Rights Watch (HRW), as she raised growing concerns about the violation of the rights in the country.

When the Taliban announced last month that women and girls should not leave their homes unless necessary and should do so only with their whole bodies including their faces covered, only a few were surprised. Others, who lived through the last period of Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001, were not.

“Some diplomats and other Afghanistan watchers who listened to Taliban leaders promise during negotiations and at their news conference two days after seizing the capital that they would respect all women’s rights this time, including their freedom of movement and access to employment and education,” said Barr.

She said Afghan women’s rights activists warned all along that the Taliban’s promises to respect women’s rights were false. Afghan rights activists warned in the days after the Taliban took the capital, Kabul, on August 15, 2021, that the group would intensify their crackdown on women.

“The list of Taliban violations of the rights of women and girls is long and growing,” the high-ranking HRW official said.

The Taliban appointed an all-male cabinet. They abolished the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and replaced it with the Ministry of Vice and Virtue, which issued the most recent order. They banned secondary education for girls and banned women from almost all jobs.

They dismantled the system to protect women and girls from violence and made it difficult for them to get health care. They issued new rules for how women must dress and behave. They enforce these rules through violence.

“Women – with extraordinary courage – took to the streets in protest. The Taliban beat, threatened, pepper-sprayed, abducted, and detained them,” she said adding that the latest order is a chilling escalation.

According to Barr, not only does it make every woman or girl who is outside her home a suspect, but it also strips women and girls of the shreds of autonomy they still had, the ability to resist.

“The order states that if a woman or girl disobeys, the punishment — including imprisonment — will be inflicted on her male guardian. In this way the Taliban coerce every man to become complicit in their abuse, each man the jailer of his female relatives,” she added.

Since the Taliban takeover, there have been many statements condemning their abuses from an impressive range of international and regional organizations and countries.

What there has not been, however, is a clear plan for how the countries condemning Taliban abuses will work together to defend the rights of Afghan women and girls and pressure the Taliban to end these abuses. (ANI)

ALSO READ: WHO to distribute monkeypox test kits in Afghanistan

Previous Story

China makes currency swap with Lanka worth $1.5 bn

Next Story

Uyghur Congress hails EU’s recognition of China’s rights violations

Latest from -Top News

World Bank Warns of Growing Poverty in Pakistan

Instead of concentrating on rural development to reduce poverty, the Pakistan government has been focused more on increasing defence expenditure….reports Asian Lite News The World Bank has voiced deep concern over Pakistan’s

Hasina Faces Arrest in War Crimes Probe

Two formal charges were submitted by the ICT prosecution against Hasina and her security and defence advisor, Tarique Ahmed Siddique….reports Asian Lite News Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Wednesday issued arrest

Peace in Afghanistan Vital, Says India

The Indian delegation at the meeting was led by Ambassador to Russia Vinay Kumar who expressed support for independent, peaceful and stable Afghanistan….reports Asian Lite News On Tuesday, India reaffirmed that a

India, Qatar Strengthen Trade Ties

Goyal expressed optimism about the growing economic engagement between the two countries, stating, “Glad to meet Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Sayed….reports Asian Lite News Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal met
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Afghan, Pak troops exchange fire at Kandahar

It confirmed that the Monday clashes between Afghan and Pakistani

Over 13k Afghan families heave sigh of relief

Each family received 7,500 afghanis ($85) in the provincial capital