KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Taliban has dismissed the recent report by UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, labeling it as an attempt to “tarnish perceptions” ahead of the UN meeting on Afghanistan.
In a statement shared on Wednesday, June 19th, the Taliban’s chief spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, accused certain individuals within the UN of attempting to present a “distorted image” of Afghanistan, aiming to “overshadow significant progress” with “a few limited issues.”
“Some members of the United Nations, particularly the report by Richard Bennett, are attempting to tarnish perceptions ahead of the upcoming Doha meeting,” the Taliban spokesman said.
“Attempts at pressure and conspiracies continue to fail; their persistence and repetition are merely the re-testing of unsuccessful strategies,” Mujahid said. “It is hoped that reality will be understood and a constructive stance will be adopted,” he added.
The Taliban’s statement came a day after Mr. Bennett presented his report to the UN Human Rights Council, wherein he described the Taliban’s treatment of women and girls as a “crime against humanity” and urged the international community to recognize “gender apartheid” in Afghanistan.
In his hard-hitting report, the UN Special Rapporteur emphasized that the Taliban’s policies against women are “systematic” and “institutionalized,” enforced through decrees and directives.
Since June of the previous year, as per Mr. Bennett, the Taliban have issued at least 52 additional decrees that have heightened restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan. These decrees are enforced widely and at times, violently.
He suggested that Member States adopt the notion of gender apartheid and advocate for its formal recognition, citing Afghan women who expressed that this term most accurately describes their circumstances.
Mr. Bennett presented his findings to the UN as the organization prepares to convene the third gathering of special envoys from various countries on Afghanistan, scheduled for June 30th and July 1st in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
Referring to the upcoming UN meeting on Afghanistan, Mr. Bennett highlighted the significance of ensuring that women’s voices are not marginalized. He called for meaningful participation of Afghan civil society members, particularly women, in the meeting, emphasizing that women’s rights should be a central topic of discussion.
Just like the second round of the meeting, the UN has extended an official invitation to the Taliban to participate in this gathering. unlike the previous one, the Taliban has announced that their delegation will attend the meeting.
The UN has not yet extended invitations to any Afghan women or members of Afghan civil society for this meeting, unlike the previous similar meeting. In the second round of talks, the organization invited four members of Afghan civil society including three women.
