ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN – The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) says that it will prioritize the situation in Afghanistan during its upcoming Islamic Summit in Gambia and the Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Cameroon.
According to a statement by the OIC released on Tuesday, February 20, OIC representative reiterated the organization’s support during the UN-held meeting of special envoys on Afghanistan in Doha, Qatar, on February 18 and 19. Tarig Ali Bakheet, OIC’s special envoy for Afghanistan, affirmed that the OIC is committed to its Foreign Ministers previous resolutions in support of Afghanistan.
The OIC envoy for Afghanistan further highlighted the OIC’s efforts in providing humanitarian aid, deploying delegations of scholars, and organizing a conference on women’s rights in Islam, hosted by Saudi Arabia.
The OIC, the second largest organization after the UN with 57 member states, has previously voiced concern about the Taliban’s widespread abuse of human rights in Afghanistan, especially those of women and girls, saying that the group’s misogynist policies are “against our religion.”
Last year, the Secretary-General of the Organization, Hissein Brahim Taha, described the Taliban’s bans on women “in violation of the purposes of Islamic law and the methodology of the Messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad.”
In addition to the OIC, some Islamic countries, including Saudi Arabia and Iran, have also described the Taliban’s edicts against women un-Islamic and repeatedly called on the group to reverse these bans.
Meanwhile, at the conclusion of the UN international conference on Afghanistan in Doha, the UN Secretary-General, who chaired the conference, also urged the Taliban to lift the “outrageous ban” on women and girls’ access to education and employment.
He further emphasized the importance of ensuring that women and girls have the opportunity to participate fully and meaningfully in all aspects of life, from classrooms to decision-making tables.
Metra Mehran, a women’s rights activist who participated in the UN meeting, criticized the Taliban’s restrictive policies against women and girls. She urged the UN and the international community to prioritize gender considerations in all discussions related to Afghanistan.
She further stressed that the Taliban’s abuses must be recognized as crimes and violations of international law, and the ruling regime must be held accountable for their actions.
“The Taliban has taken advantage of deep division among international actors. It costs us to lose human dignity and be ruled by a bunch of terrorists today. I request the world to demonstrate the political will necessary for bringing justice to women in Afghanistan,” she said.
“Please do not compromise our rights for your regional and international political rivalries,” she added.
