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Taliban would roll back Afghan women’s rights -U.S. intelligence report
The Taliban “would roll back much” of the progress made in Afghan women’s rights if the Islamist extremists regain national power, according to an assessment released on Tuesday by top U.S. intelligence analysts.
The U.S. National Intelligence Council report likely will reinforce fears that the Taliban will resume the harsh treatment that women and girls suffered under their 1996-2001 rule should the insurgents prevail in a full-blown civil war.
“The Taliban remains broadly consistent in its restrictive approach to women’s rights and would roll back much of the past two decades of progress if the group regains national power,” said the U.S. intelligence community’s top analytical body.
At the same time, the council’s “Sense of the Community Memorandum” said women’s rights likely would be threatened after the U.S.-led military coalition withdraws, a finding reflecting the conservative nature of Afghanistan’s male-dominated society.
“Progress (in women’s rights) probably owes more to external pressure than domestic support, suggesting it would be at risk after coalition withdrawal, even without Taliban efforts to reverse it,” the assessment said.
U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision last month to withdraw the last 2,500 U.S. troops – triggering a pullout of other foreign forces – is fueling fears Afghanistan could plunge into an all-out civil war that could return the Taliban to power.
Those concerns have been stoked by a deadlock in U.S.-backed peace talks, while the Taliban have intensified attacks on government forces after a missed May 1 deadline for the U.S. troop departure.
Before being ousted by the 2001 U.S.-led invasion, the Taliban imposed a harsh version of Islamic rule that included barring girls from school and women from working outside their homes and prohibiting them from being in public without a male relative.
Women who violated those rules often suffered humiliation and public beatings by the Taliban’s religious police.
The new report, however, noted that many of those practices have continued in government-controlled areas and “years of war have left millions of women maimed, widowed, impoverished and displaced.”
Gains made in women’s right have been touted as a major accomplishment during the 20 years that U.S.-led forces have been deployed, although mostly in urban centers.
The Biden administration has pledged to continue civilian assistance after U.S. troops depart, including to women’s programs. But it has warned that Afghanistan would suffer isolation and sanctions if it backslides on human rights.
A February 2020, U.S.-Taliban accord struck by the Trump administration specified a May 1 deadline for completion of a U.S. troop withdrawal from America’s longest war.
Biden, however, decided to complete the withdrawal before the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, al Qaeda attacks on the United States that triggered the U.S.-led invasion.
Shahabuddin Delawar, Head of the Commission for Contact with Afghan Personalities, says Afghanistan has achieved security, unified governance, brotherhood, and progress for the first time in 47 years under the administration of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).
Speaking at a meeting in Kabul on Saturday, Delawar said Afghanistan had lacked a unified system over the past four decades, but added that with the return of the Islamic Emirate, the issue has now been resolved.
Referring to Ashura commemorations held on Friday, he said the occasion was observed peacefully across the country under full security.
Delawar also urged exiled Afghan politicians to return, saying the commission was established to serve Afghans and address the concerns of returning figures. He added that any legal disputes involving returnees would be handled exclusively through the commission.
He further said the Islamic Emirate has expanded treatment centers and intensified anti-narcotics efforts since regaining power, claiming this has led to a significant decline in drug addiction.
Addressing the issue of international legitimacy, Delawar said he understood why the United States has not recognized the Islamic Emirate, arguing that Washington suffered a defeat in Afghanistan that it cannot easily overlook.
“They have suffered a major defeat that they cannot forget; if they recognize us, they will face questions from their own people,” Delawar said.
The European Union says it is implementing hundreds of millions of euros in projects to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Afghanistan and help expand economic opportunities across the country.
Speaking to Ariana News, EU Chargé d’Affaires in Kabul, Veronika Boskovic Pohar, said the programs are aimed at creating jobs for skilled workers, women, youth, and returnees, while also strengthening the private sector. She added that alongside international support, Afghan authorities also have a role in facilitating economic growth.
According to Pohar, the EU is currently implementing projects worth €156 million focused on livelihoods, durable solutions, job creation, and women’s economic empowerment. She said an additional €40 million program specifically designed to support returnees will be launched in the near future.
She noted that the EU is gradually shifting its focus from emergency humanitarian aid toward long-term sustainable solutions, particularly for internally displaced people and returnees in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the United Nations, marking World Day of Small and Medium Enterprises, said SMEs account for more than 90 percent of businesses worldwide and play a critical role in employment and economic growth.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric stressed that stronger investment, innovation, and sustainable industrial development are essential to help businesses withstand economic challenges and build resilient economies.
Afghan private sector representatives and economic analysts say greater support for SMEs could help the country address economic challenges faster, increase employment, and promote sustainable long-term development.
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Afghan women’s situation highlighted at SCO Forum amid ongoing global debate
She urged member states of the SCO to show solidarity with Afghan women and not remain indifferent to their situation.
Afghanistan was at the center of discussions at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Women’s Forum in Bishkek, where former head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), Roza Otunbayeva, described the situation of women in the country as a serious human rights concern.
Speaking at the forum, Otunbayeva said restrictions imposed on women and girls in Afghanistan demonstrate how a return to conservative policies can rapidly affect women’s daily lives and opportunities.
Otunbayeva, who previously served as head of UNAMA in Afghanistan, stated: “Today in Afghanistan, girls cannot receive education beyond sixth grade. Women are prohibited from working, visiting parks and gyms, and traveling without a male companion.”
She urged member states of the SCO to show solidarity with Afghan women and not remain indifferent to their situation.
According to her, women in Afghanistan urgently need support in education, employment, and social participation, and these issues should be addressed at both regional and international levels.
Her remarks come at a time when the situation of women in Afghanistan remains a subject of ongoing international debate.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly stated that women’s rights in the country are ensured better than ever before.
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