Taliban say no one faces discrimination in Afghanistan

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| Photo Credit: AP

The Taliban have denied accusations of gender discrimination and other human rights violations, as four countries pledge to hold Afghanistan’s leaders accountable for their treatment of women and girls under international law.

Australia, Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands are initiating legal action against the Taliban for breaching a U.N. convention on women, which Afghanistan is a party to.

These countries launched the effort during the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

Despite promising a more moderate rule, the Taliban have imposed restrictions on women and girls in education, public spaces, and employment since taking power in 2021. Recent laws issued by the Vice and Virtue Ministry further limit women’s freedoms.

More than 20 countries have expressed support for the legal action against the Taliban, condemning the human rights violations, particularly gender-based discrimination.

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These countries hold Afghanistan responsible for violating the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

They do not recognize the Taliban as the legitimate leaders of Afghanistan and view their actions as a hindrance to normalizing relations.

In response, the Taliban’s deputy spokesman denied allegations of human rights violations and gender discrimination, dismissing them as propaganda.

The Taliban maintain that their actions are in line with their interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia, and reject criticism of their policies affecting women and girls.

Human Rights Watch researcher Fereshta Abbasi called for international support for the legal action and urged the involvement of Afghan women in the process.

She believes this initiative could lead to justice for the Taliban’s human rights violations against women and girls.