[Islamabad] Despite restrictions on girls’ education and allegations of women’s rights abuses, the ruling Taliban urged the international community to ease sanctions on Afghanistan, asserting that it is the sole solution to the country’s economic challenges.
In his keynote address at the third Doha Summit, the Taliban chief spokesperson and head of the Afghan delegation, Zabiullah Mujahid, called for the release of Afghanistan’s frozen international funds and the lifting of sanctions on its banking system, which he argued were essential for the country’s economic development under Taliban governance.
Delegates from the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank were also present at the summit, where Mujahid questioned the slow progress in easing economic and trade restrictions, highlighting ongoing challenges faced by the government and private sector.
Since the Taliban took power in August 2021, the United States froze $7 billion of the Afghan Central Bank’s assets.
Mujahid did not directly address girls’ education, women’s employment, or travel bans in his speech; instead, he framed these issues as cultural, religious, and policy differences. He framed the Taliban’s restrictions on women and girls as internal policies, stressing that these measures should not be used by powerful countries as tools for security, political, and economic pressure
He stressed that Afghans uphold certain religious and cultural values and public aspirations that “must be acknowledged” to facilitate progressive bilateral relations rather than “encountering disputes and stagnation.”
Mujahid called on the international community to provide development aid, assuring that these resources would not be exploited for personal gain.
On the second day of the meeting, Mujahid announced on his X account that “the international community has committed to lifting restrictions on Afghanistan’s banking and economic sectors.” He described the Doha meeting as “good” and noted the significant support from most countries for Afghanistan’s private sector.
The conference on Afghanistan, organized by the United Nations, was the third in a series. The initial conference, which took place in May 2023, did not involve the Taliban’s participation. Subsequently, in February 2024, during the second conference, the Taliban declined to participate as their conditions were not met. The two-day UN summit in Doha began on Sunday to enhance global involvement with the Afghan Taliban.
The presence of a Taliban delegation at this summit is a first since they came back into power. Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN undersecretary-general for political and peacebuilding affairs, who led the summit, highlighted that the Doha 3 meeting on Afghanistan was the first occasion where a broad cross-section of the global community and the Taliban convened.
Following discussions with several country representatives, DiCarlo described the Doha meeting as “fruitful and effective” in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The Afghan Taliban had set forth stringent conditions for their participation in the Doha meeting. Among these, they insisted that no Afghan women residing abroad be permitted to attend the conference. Additionally, they specified that discussions during the meeting would not address rights violations in Afghanistan, especially restrictions affecting girls, and any dialogue on their education would be avoided.
The large absence of women and civil society activists led to widespread criticism. The UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women expressed deep concerns about the exclusion of women and girls from the current meeting. In a press release, the Committee called for the active and direct inclusion of women and girls in these discussions, which are crucial to addressing one of the most serious crises in women’s rights globally.
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Canada’s Department of Global Affairs expressed “extreme disappointment” over the exclusion of non-Taliban Afghan participants from the main sessions of the third round of the Doha meeting. David Sproule, the Canadian special envoy, participated in the Doha summit.
Human Rights Watch Executive Director Tirana Hassan criticized the UN’s decision to hold a meeting on Afghanistan without including women’s rights on the agenda or Afghan women in the room. She stated that this was “shocking” given the Taliban’s tightening repression of women and girls.
Amnesty International Secretary General Agnes Callamard stated, “The credibility of this meeting will be in tatters as it did not adequately address the human rights crisis in Afghanistan and fails to involve women human rights defenders and other relevant stakeholders from Afghan civil society.”
On the other side, dozens of Afghan women residing in exile held a protest in Islamabad on Sunday and condemned the Doha summit. The protesters argued that by inviting the Taliban to the Doha meeting, the United Nations disregarded the will of Afghan women.
The Taliban have used their interpretation of Islamic law to bar girls from education beyond age 12, ban women from public spaces, exclude them from many jobs, and enforce dress codes and male guardianship requirements. In a recent report, UN Special Envoy Richard Bennett condemned the Taliban’s severe sanctions as an attack on the entire civilian population, labeling them as crimes against humanity.
No country has officially recognized the Taliban’s interim government, which took power after the end of the two-decade-long US war in Afghanistan. However, 16 countries maintain diplomatic missions in Afghanistan. China stands out as the sole country where the Taliban has an ambassador, and Beijing has reciprocated by appointing its ambassador in Kabul as well.
Kamal Alam, a nonresident senior research fellow at The Atlantic Council and expert on Afghan affairs, shared his perspective with The Media Line. He said that Afghanistan was not a high priority for most European countries, which were more focused on Ukraine and domestic issues with the rise of right-wing parties. Consequently, human rights and women’s rights were not prominent concerns for many Western nations. These countries are already cooperating with the Taliban on security and counterterrorism against ISIS-K.
Alam pointed out that “while the Taliban won’t be welcomed with open arms or embassies in Western capitals, it’s well-known that Western intelligence chiefs regularly meet with Taliban leaders. The priority is clearly on security coordination.”
Alam emphasized that while the Taliban may think they are gaining favor with the West, they are merely seen as a security partner against ISIS. “Real progress in Afghanistan, facilitated by the UN, can only be achieved when all Afghans have a voice.”
“Unfortunately, the Afghan people are being forgotten. However, as shown in Vienna [at the Vienna Conference for a Democratic Afghanistan], Afghan civil society and opposition leadership, including the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, will not remain silent. Despite being alone and abandoned, they are steadily mounting resistance,” he added.
Sadia Hashmi, an Afghan female rights activist, told The Media Line from an undisclosed location that “the exclusion of women from the Doha summit is deeply troubling. It is a stark reminder that the issue of Afghan women’s rights continues to be sidelined and treated as a secondary concern rather than a fundamental human right.”
She asserted that the stance taken by the Taliban, declaring it an internal matter, effectively silences the voices of half the population and negates the progress made over the past decades.
The participation of other countries, including the United Nations, in the conference under the conditions set by the Afghan Taliban, indicates a seeming disregard for the plight of Afghan women. It raises critical questions about the integrity and objectives of the conference. Ignoring women’s rights undermines the very foundation of a just society and perpetuates a cycle of discrimination. How can a society thrive when the rights of women are suppressed?
Hashmi noted, “The participation of other countries, including the United Nations, in the conference under the conditions set by the Afghan Taliban indicates a seeming disregard for the plight of Afghan women.”
She further said, “It raises critical questions about the integrity and objectives of the conference. Ignoring women’s rights undermines the very foundation of a just society and perpetuates a cycle of discrimination. How can a society thrive when the rights of women are suppressed?”
The struggle for women’s rights in Afghanistan is not just a national issue; it is a global concern that requires unwavering support and action from the international community. The future of Afghanistan and the well-being of its women depend on it.
In reply to The Media Line’s question, Hashmi said, “The struggle for women’s rights in Afghanistan is not just a national issue; it is a global concern that requires unwavering support and action from the international community. The future of Afghanistan and the well-being of its women depend on it.”
Amrita Saha, a Kanpur, India-based regional defense and security analyst, told The Media Line, “In my view, the Afghan Taliban are not in any position to dictate the terms for any negotiations. Not allowing Afghan women representation in the Doha Summit indicates that the negotiation was so-called and heavily skewed.”
She noted that the Afghan rulers are not the sole ones responsible for the plight of women in Afghanistan. The US, the UN, and the West are well aware of the current Afghan rulers’ harsh stance on women’s rights and education. Despite this, substantial aid is being provided to the Taliban, which is used to support the rulers’ agenda instead of benefiting the Afghan people.
She confidently said, “Double standards of US administration, NATO, and prominent global organizations contribute to the exploitation of Afghan women.”
Meanwhile, in a press briefing in Doha following the third meeting of special envoys on Afghanistan, UN Undersecretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo voiced deep concern over the plight of women and girls in the country. She stressed that “Afghanistan cannot rejoin the international community or achieve full economic and social development if it excludes the contributions and potential of half its population.”
DiCarlo highlighted the challenges faced by the UN in organizing the meeting, noting the difficult, perhaps impossible, task of bringing the Taliban and special envoys together for direct talks. “Regrettably, the de facto authorities refuse to sit down with Afghan civil society in this format. However, they were informed of the necessity to include women and civil society in all facets of public life,” she stated.
She further clarified that the meeting and ongoing engagement process “do not equate to normalization or recognition” of the Taliban’s de facto rule.