Human Rights Watchdog urged US to halt Taliban’s international travel in a report released on the first anniversary of their return to power in Afghanistan.
In contrast to US’s long-standing foreign travel ban on Taliban leaders, UN Security Council (UNSC) earlier granted Islamic Emirate officials exceptions to travel restrictions to help their discussions with the US. In a statement, Human Rights organisation urged US to impose travel restrictions on representatives of the Islamic Emirate and voiced worry over the treatment of women and children in Afghanistan.
As per media reports, “Now is the time for Biden Administration and US Congress to take action and make Afghan women and girls the focal point of their humanitarian, development, and diplomatic efforts in Afghanistan. Countering Taliban’s gender discrimination and promoting stability and development in Afghanistan are both in the US’s national security interest and moral obligation. Neither can be accomplished without the other.”
However, , spokesman for Islamic Emirate, Zabiullah Mujahid refuted the assertions made in the media reports and asserted that women are involved in a number of sectors.
In a statement earlier on Tuesday, Human Rights Watch’s (HRW) Associate Director for Women’s Rights, Heather Barr, noted that 327 days had passed since Taliban effectively outlawed girls’ secondary education in Afghanistan. As she denounced Taliban government that equates to 327 days of a nation’s daughters being denied an education—327 days they will never get back.
