Despite Qatar’s strong relationship with the Taliban, Doha has criticised the Taliban’s gender policies targeting women….reports Asian Lite News
Human Rights Watch has said that on the one hand, the Taliban continues to beg for recognition and foreign help, while on the other, they escalate repression of Afghan women and girls, Khaama Press reported.
Taking to Twitter, the associate women’s rights director at Human Rights Watch wrote, “that the Taliban are reluctant for meaningful talks.” Barr stated on Twitter on Wednesday that she does not believe the meeting indicates the Taliban’s willingness to engage with the international world. She believes this topic has only been highlighted primarily during a meeting between a senior Qatari official and Hebatullah Akhundzada, whatsoever, Khaama Press reported.
Previously, the Taliban spokesperson stated that Mullah Hassan Akhund, the group’s acting deputy prime minister, had asked Qatari authorities to play a significant role in developing confidence between Afghanistan and the international community at a meeting with his Qatari counterpart, as per the Afghan news agency.
Despite Qatar’s strong relationship with the Taliban, Doha has criticised the Taliban’s gender policies targeting women.
Since the takeover, Taliban leadership has consistently issued severe decrees restricting Afghan women and girls’ access to education and employment, reported Khaama Press.
Thousands of women have stayed at home since colleges and schools stopped accepting female students, and there are restrictions on the work that women and girls can do in local and international NGOs.
However, some women and girls have started working, such as by picking up trades or other commercial endeavours, in order to make money.
Since the Taliban regained power in August 2021 after the US exit from the country, women are not allowed to work in the fields of education with domestic and international organisations, in gyms, or in public spaces.
Women who sell second-hand clothes in Afghanistan’s Kunduz complain about the bad economic situation and ask the Taliban to provide them with training and jobs, Afghanistan-based TOLO News reported.
“If they provided work, or a tailoring workshop, we would be happy. Why not tailoring? It is good and has a good income,” said a seller, Marina. “There is no income from our work. We come here but there is no work to do. The work situation is so bad, we want good work that has a good income,” said Naziya, another seller.
“I have been a tenant for 23 years, I am a widow, I am sick, I am not receiving treatment, I have a sick child, he cannot work, these are my problems,” said Khasiyat Mah, a clothes seller, as per TOLO News.
Meanwhile, the Taliban’s head of the information and culture department of Kunduz said that if when the cases of these women are reviewed they are considered deserving, help will be provided to them.
“Needy people in our province, if they are women or children, are investigated and eligible people are registered. After that, they will be helped,” said Matiullah Rohani.
According to United Nations reports, after the restrictions on women’s work in NGOs and broader restrictions on women’s rights, many women are jobless.
Meanwhile, in the face of Taliban prohibitions on employment, a group of Afghan women and girls in the province of Herat have established a kitchen and started a catering business to support themselves, TOLOnews reported.
They set up this kitchen in their home and offer their clients daily food.
“Women are banned from working out of the house, we planned to be at home and have activities, so we started making Afghan traditional food,” said the head of the kitchen, Manizha Sadat.
Several women and girls have repeatedly called out the de-facto authorities to provide them with work outside their houses, however, the Taliban has continued with its curbs on women in Afghanistan. (ANI)