Afghan women's rights an internal issue, Taliban says before U.N.-led talks
The Hindu
Afghanistan: Taliban authorities said that demands over women’s rights were “Afghanistan’s issues” to solve, ahead of United Nations-led engagement talks where the exclusion of Afghan women has sparked outcry.
Taliban authorities said on June 29 that demands over women's rights were "Afghanistan's issues" to solve, ahead of United Nations-led engagement talks where the exclusion of Afghan women has sparked outcry.
The Taliban government, which has imposed restrictions on women since seizing power in 2021 that the U.N. has described as "gender apartheid", will send its first delegation to the third round of talks starting in Qatar on June 30.
Civil society representatives, including from women's rights groups, will attend meetings with the international envoys and U.N. officials on July 2, after the official talks.
Rights groups have condemned the exclusion of Afghan women from the main meetings and the lack of human rights issues on the agenda.
The Taliban authorities "acknowledge the issues about women", government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told a news conference in Kabul on the eve of the latest talks.
"But these issues are Afghanistan's issues," said Mujahid, who will lead the delegation.
"We are working to find a logical path toward solutions inside Afghanistan so that, God forbid, our country doesn't again fall into conflict and discord."
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