WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES – UN special rapporteur on Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, criticized the exclusion of women from the upcoming Doha meeting, arguing appeasement shouldn’t come at the cost of women’s rights.
In a New York Times opinion piece, Bennett said the success of the meeting shouldn’t hinge solely on Taliban attendance.
“It is a mistake to measure the success of this meeting by whether the Taliban show up,” Bennett wrote.
He further denounced the absence of women’s rights on the agenda, despite Afghan demands for their inclusion as a condition for engagement with the Taliban.
Bennett questioned the effectiveness of engaging the Taliban without involving non-Taliban Afghans, particularly women and civil society. He argued history shows such an approach yields no long-term results.
The U.N. official urged the organization and the international community to avoid legitimizing the Taliban government and to prevent them from dictating the terms of the conference or future international processes through threats of withdrawal from talks.
Bennett concluded his piece by calling on the international community to demand the reversal of restrictions on women’s rights, ensure women’s meaningful participation in decision-making, and promote accountability.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai previously condemned the exclusion, stating any discussions without women’s full participation lack legitimacy.
Yousafzai, in a statement shared on social media, called it “unacceptable” for the U.N. to hold such a meeting without Afghan women at the forefront.
“I am alarmed and disappointed that the Taliban are invited to meet UN envoys while Afghan women and human rights defenders are excluded from the main conversation,” she said.
The Nobel laureate labeled discussions without women’s involvement as a “betrayal,” urging global support for Afghan women and demanding the U.N. change its approach.
The U.N. will host its third meeting of special envoys on Afghanistan in Doha, Qatar, from June 30 to July 1. Unlike previous gatherings, representatives from Afghan civil society and women have been excluded from the main discussions.
The Taliban confirmed their participation, with spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid leading their delegation.
