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US envoy calls for world to help equip Afghan women access education and work
US Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights, Rina Amiri, has called on the international community to equip Afghan women with the resources needed to access education, scholarships, work and other means to counter the restrictions imposed by the Islamic Emirate.
In talks with her counterparts and Afghan leaders and activists in the last month, Amiri said on X Saturday that approaches to improving the “devastating situation” in Afghanistan may differ, but those seeking to advance human rights must reflect the space for civic discourse and tolerance that they hope to engender in Afghanistan.
“We must collectively make clear to the Taliban (IEA) that, even as we engage to try to improve the devastating situation, there will be no progress in normalization unless they respect the rights of the Afghan people,” she said.
“We must continue to ensure that our statements in support of Afghans, particularly women, are matched with concrete support to equip them w/ the resources to access education, scholarships, work & other means to counter the Taliban’s (IEA) extreme & repressive measures,” she said.
Amiri said that there were several high-level events during the UN General Assembly, including a ministerial focused on the situation of Afghan women.
“The message is clear: the Taliban (IEA) cannot expect to be a part of the international community if it does not respect the rights of the Afghan people and erases half of the population,” she said.
She also said that in meetings with representatives of Muslim-majority countries on the sideline of the UNGA, there was consensus that “the Taliban’s (IEA) repressive policies, particularly against women and girls, are out of step with the world and devastating for Afghanistan.”
“We agreed that we must maintain international solidarity in support of Afghanistan and that we must continue supporting Afghan women & girls inside and outside Afghanistan through diplomatic and concrete efforts,” she said.
This comes as the Islamic Emirate has repeatedly stressed that it is committed to ensuring the rights of women and girls according to Sharia.
A 20-year-old Afghan migrant has been arrested in Germany over the alleged sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl inside a school toilet in the city of Koblenz.
According to prosecutors, the incident occurred on April 28 after the suspect and another man allegedly entered the school premises. Investigators say the suspect cornered the girl in the restroom while a second 19-year-old man allegedly restrained her during the attack.
The girl reportedly told her older sister about the incident two days later. Her family then located the suspect at a nearby residence and informed police.
German authorities arrested the suspect on May 4. He remains in pre-trial detention and has been charged with committing sexual acts against a child on school grounds.
The Koblenz prosecutor’s office confirmed the suspect’s Afghan nationality to German broadcaster SWR. Prosecutors also stated that the man had previously been under investigation in another alleged sexual offence case. He had earlier been fined for possessing a blank-firing pistol without a licence.
Police said the second suspect is still being investigated as a suspected accomplice and remains at large.
Authorities have not yet clarified how the two men allegedly gained access to the school property.
Matiul Haq Khalis, Director General of Afghanistan’s National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA), left for Baku on Friday at the head of an official delegation to participate in the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13), a major international gathering focused on sustainable urban development and environmental challenges.
The forum, organized by UN-Habitat, is scheduled to take place from May 17 to 22 in the Azerbaijani capital under the theme “Housing for All: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities.”
According to Afghan officials, the delegation will participate in a series of technical meetings and discussions on climate change, environmental protection in urban areas, sustainable development, waste management, green cities, air pollution control and strengthening urban resilience.
The World Urban Forum is regarded as one of the world’s leading platforms on urbanization and environmental policy, bringing together government officials, mayors, international organizations, climate experts and development institutions from across the globe.
On the sidelines of the event, Khalis and accompanying officials are also expected to meet with representatives of international organizations, donor agencies and foreign governments to discuss environmental cooperation, technical support and future joint initiatives.
Afghanistan’s environmental authority described participation in the forum as an important opportunity to expand international engagement, exchange experiences and seek practical solutions to the country’s growing environmental and urban challenges.
The visit comes as Afghanistan faces increasing concerns over climate-related risks, rapid urbanization, air pollution and environmental degradation, issues that officials say require broader regional and international cooperation.
Brad Cooper, the head of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), told a U.S. Senate committee on Thursday that Afghanistan remains a major focus for Washington in terms of terrorist activity and regional security threats.
Speaking during a hearing before lawmakers, Cooper said Afghanistan continues to be “on the forefront” of U.S. monitoring efforts regarding militant groups.
“Afghanistan remains on the forefront of what we are watching in terms of terrorist activity,” he told the committee.
The CENTCOM commander added that the United States is working closely with regional partners to contain and suppress potential threats emerging from Afghanistan.
The remarks come as U.S. officials continue to express concerns over the presence of militant groups in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of American forces from the country in 2021.
The Islamic Emirate, however, has denied presence of militant groups in Afghanistan, emphasizing that it will not allow Afghan soil to be used against any other country.
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