A group of women’s rights activists has called on the Taliban to stop the normalization and institutionalization of violence against women and girls.
In a statement on Saturday, Afghan Women’s Parliamentary and Leadership Network (AWPLN) stated that discrimination against women and girls is becoming common in all aspects of Afghan society, and women are being pushed out of all aspects of life.
The AWPLN further stated that women and girls of Afghanistan are being forced into complete isolation and discrimination. They warned that if this trend continues, it will be impossible to hear a woman’s voice, see her face, or speak to her in Afghanistan. This would be a major tragedy for the country.
“We continually urge the Taliban to carry out their responsibilities under progressive customs and international law to secure the full rights of all women and girls in Afghanistan.” Part of their statement reads.
The AWPLN also demanded an immediate halt to the multifaceted consequences of the Taliban’s restrictions on women and girls. They said that these consequences go beyond the inability to reach women and girls with life-saving assistance, and include dealing a further blow to the Afghanistan economy and hastening the erasure of women and girls from all aspects of public life.
The AWPLN called on the international community to join the “Global Call to Save Afghanistan Women and Girls.”
Soon after seizing power, the Taliban promised to respect women’s rights. However, the group has significantly cracked down on women and girls in the nearly two years of its rule, imposing curbs on women’s movements and denying them education, employment, social mobility, and other freedoms.
