UN Study Reveals Afghan Women Fear Worsening Rights Situation Under IEA Recognition
A United Nations study has indicated that 67% of Afghan women are worried that international recognition of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) will make their rights situation worse, following the introduction of more than 50 decrees that directly curtail the rights and dignity of women by the de facto authorities.
According to the report which was jointly compiled by U.N. Women, the International Organisation for Migration, and the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, "Women expressed dread and anxiety when asked to consider the possibility of international recognition of the DFA (de facto authorities)."
“Under the current circumstances, it could exacerbate the women’s rights crisis and increase the risk that the DFA would reinforce and expand existing restrictions targeting women and girls,” the report said.
These results are derived from 745 in-person and online interviews that took place between January 27 and February 8 in all 34 provinces of Afghanistan and were carried out by U.N. agencies.
The report also states that women have asked the world community not to acknowledge the IEA until they lift their bans on women.
Based on their experiences, the respondents believe that foreign assistance should be tied "to better conditions for women, and to facilitate opportunities for women to talk directly with the Taliban (IEA)" in order to improve the rights situation in Afghanistan.
Furthermore, Amnesty International emphasised Friday that the Doha summit ought to signify the end of impunity for human rights violations committed under the IEA.
The watchdog group noted in its statement that “discriminatory restrictions on the rights of women and girls, with the apparent aim of completely erasing them from public arenas” have intensified in recent months.
In regards to the matter of recognising the Afghan government, IEA spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said that the UN is not adhering to its values.
“The issue of recognition also has its own principles in international laws. Interviews with a few people cannot be used as a criterion for recognizing or not recognizing a government. Unfortunately, the United Nations, without considering its own principles, is dealing differently with Afghanistan in this regard, and it is putting pressure from all sides,” Mujahid said.
He went on to say that certain strong nations exploit the UN as a weapon.
On Sunday, special envoys from member states and regional organisations will meet in Qatar for a UN-convened summit to discuss the global engagement strategy with the IEA. This session will focus on women and will be preceded by the UN report on women.