Members of the United Nations agreed to condemn the Taliban’s exclusionary policies.
Members of the United Nations agreed to condemn the Taliban’s exclusionary policies.
Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s top emir and leader, continues to support the ban on higher education for female teens despite opposition from other government officials in Afghanistan, according to a UNICEF official.
Presently, international leaders are facing a difficult task of providing aid to suffering Afghans while avoiding legitimizing the Taliban, their new de facto authorities.
At a meeting in Doha, 24 countries and international organizations, along with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres discussed human rights, counter-narcotics, counter-terrorism, and inclusive governance. Guterres sought to harmonize messaging around the four topics.
Members of the United Nations agreed to condemn the Taliban’s exclusionary policies, halt drug trafficking and terrorism, and not recognize the regime, while providing limited humanitarian assistance and engaging in “principled and constructive” dialogue,” said UN Secretary General António Guterres. He added that it was “in everyone’s best interest” to work together.
The participating governments decided to review their policies towards the Taliban under the auspices of the UN later this year, delaying a decision on criteria or recognition for several months.
Before the UN meeting in Doha to discuss aid for Afghanistan, international organizations were divided over whether to continue providing humanitarian assistance due to the Taliban’s increasingly restrictive measures against civil society.
Since the militant group regained control of Afghanistan in 2021, foreign governments and organizations have provided emergency relief to meet basic needs. However, in light of the Taliban’s oppressive practices, Afghans and international groups are now calling for the suspension of aid.
In April, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed sparked controversy during an interview at Princeton University when she proposed “baby steps” toward recognizing the Taliban regime in Afghanistan as part of efforts to encourage better behavior. Her remarks prompted protests from women’s groups across the country and drew warnings from non-governmental organizations against engaging with the Taliban. Mohammed argued that disengagement would lead to worse outcomes, but concerns were raised about the potential sacrifice of women’s rights.
Despite Taliban-imposed restrictions, international and NGO groups continue to be involved in Afghanistan, as local authorities have not enforced some of the most oppressive regulations regarding women’s employment, education, and attire. This has allowed aid workers to reach previously marginalized populations and assist a nation in distress.
China and Russia have embraced the Doha framework, which grants them access to Afghanistan’s mineral resources and influence over terrorism policies without officially recognizing the Taliban. This tacit acceptance has enabled them to evade international criticism.
UNICEF has hailed the presence of 2.5 million Afghan girls in primary school as a vital step in achieving socialization, providing basic education, allowing mothers to leave home for their children’s sake and offering female teachers as models of paid professional women according to Fran Equiza, the Spanish representative for UNICEF in Afghanistan.
The Taliban are insisting on the segregation of classes by gender, female teachers for girls and a strict dress code in order to reinstate the right of girls to attend high school. These measures have already been implemented in elementary schools.
The Taliban has consistently disregarded international criticism of their governance. They demand global recognition and assistance while exploiting the sympathy of the international community for the suffering of the Afghan people under their rule. As the Norwegian ambassador to the UN pointed out, “The Taliban have given up on their own population and especially their women, but we as an international community cannot do that.” The challenge lies in finding a way to support the Afghan people without empowering their oppressive government.
