On International Women’s Day, the Taliban issued a statement claiming their dedication to safeguarding the rights of Afghan women, despite ongoing international criticism of their policies.

Chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid took to his official X (formerly Twitter) account, asserting that the “Islamic Emirate” takes full responsibility for ensuring the rights of Afghan women. While he did not directly reference International Women’s Day, Mujahid emphasized that the dignity, honor, and legal rights of women remain a priority for the Taliban government.

He further claimed that Afghan women “live in security, both physically and psychologically,” and that their “fundamental rights,” including autonomy in marital decisions, dowry entitlements, and inheritance, are protected under Taliban rule.

However, the Taliban’s statement comes amidst widespread condemnation by the international community, particularly the United Nations, which continues to decry the severe restrictions placed on Afghan women since the group’s return to power in 2021.

Under Taliban rule, Afghan women have faced sweeping bans on education and employment. Girls have been barred from secondary education and later prohibited from attending or teaching at Kabul University. In August 2023, the Vice and Virtue Ministry further expanded its restrictions, mandating full face coverings for women and prohibiting their voices from being heard in public.

The United Nations renewed its calls for these measures to be lifted on Saturday. Roza Otunbayeva, head of the UN mission in Afghanistan, stated, “The erasure of women and girls from public life cannot be ignored.” Alison Davidian, the special representative for UN Women in Afghanistan, added, “We must stand with Afghan women as if our own lives depend on it—because they do.”

Mujahid, however, defended the Taliban’s policies, drawing a sharp distinction between Afghan and Western conceptions of women’s rights. He asserted that “Afghan women’s rights are situated within the specific context of an Islamic and Afghan society, which exhibits distinct divergences from Western societies and their cultural paradigms.”

Despite these claims, the Taliban remains internationally isolated, with no official recognition of its government. Its policies on women have drawn significant criticism and legal action. In January, the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor sought arrest warrants for two senior Taliban officials over their role in suppressing Afghan women’s rights.

Last Friday, UNESCO hosted a high-level conference on the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan, which featured prominent activists, parliamentarians, and human rights experts, including Hamida Aman, founder of the women-only Radio Begum, former Afghan lawmaker Fawzia Koofi, and Richard Bennett, a human rights expert barred from entering Afghanistan.

In response to the event, Saif ul-Islam Khyber, a spokesman for the Vice and Virtue Ministry, dismissed the gathering, calling it an “exposure of the hypocrisy of certain organizations and European Union foundations.”

The global community continues to pressure the Taliban to reverse its policies, with many urging action to ensure the protection of Afghan women’s rights.

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