Taliban says overturning restrictions against women not a priority
Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said that overturning restrictions against women is not a priority for the group, according to a report by Khaama Press.
This comes on the back of a ban on women working in non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and various violation of women’s rights under the Taliban regime, including banning women from attending high school or universities.
The Taliban on Saturday (January 14) that no act would be implemented that could possibly violate Islamic Sharia Law. The statement further said that concerns regarding restrictions on women’s rights will be dealt with according to the established rule of the group in the country.
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“The Islamic Emirate tries to regulate all matters in accordance with the Islamic Sharia, and the ruling government cannot allow act against the Sharia in the country,” reported Khaama Press quoting Taliban chief spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid.
The recent move by the Taliban to ban women from working in NGOs led to fervent protests by female university students and women activists across Afghanistan. The move also drew widespread condemnation globally.
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According to Khama Press — United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, the European Union (EU), United Nations (UN), OIC, and other international aid organisations, strongly condemned Taliban’s latest action and urged the caretaker government to remove the ban and allow Afghan girls and women to pursue their education and continue working with NGOs.
ANICEF report released in August says that girls in Afghanistan are deprived of secondary education has cost the country’s economy at least $500 million over the past 12 months, which amounts to 2.5% of GDP.
Understand religious demands
Khaama Press also quoted Zabiullah Mujahid’s statement asking Afghanistan’s partners and international aid organizations to understand the religious demands in Afghanistan and avoid tying humanitarian aid to politics.
On January 13, 11 countries requested the Taliban to remove all restrictions against Afghan women and girls and to allow them to get an education and return to work.
Taliban however has shown no inclination to change their strict and regressive policy regarding women’s education, employment, and movement in the country.
Khaama Press also reported that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), an intergovernmental group consisting of all Muslim-majority countries, rejected the Taliban’s claim that its treatment of Afghan women and girls is in line with Islam’s Sharia law.
OIC has repeatedly asked Taliban officials to lift the gender-based restrictions and let Afghan women and girls benefit from inherent fundamental rights like getting an education, and being allowed to work and appear in the public environment.
(With agency inputs)