NEW YORK: The UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Clément Nyaletsossi Voule, has drawn attention to the grave situation in Afghanistan, referring to it as a “dire gender apartheid” imposed by the Taliban.
Voule’s remarks were made during a Press conference in New York, where he emphasized that the suppression of rights and the failure to engage with communities and social movements during conflict prevention and peacebuilding initiatives have often led to the failure of peace processes.
He particularly highlighted the case of Afghanistan, where the exclusion of women and the Afghan government from the US-Taliban peace negotiations, commonly known as the Doha Agreement signed in February 2020, resulted in the current dire situation. The Taliban’s imposition of gender apartheid, he noted, was a consequence of the closed-door negotiations facilitated by the US-Taliban peace deal.
Human rights defenders have echoed these concerns and called upon the international community to recognize the gravity of gender apartheid under Taliban rule. Women’s rights activist Masouda Khoistani emphasized the need for practical steps to prevent the Taliban from further restricting the rights of Afghan women. She stressed that mere statements and slogans would not suffice and urged unity in rescuing Afghan women from the clutches of this extremist group.
The Taliban’s repressive policies have significantly curtailed women’s access to education, employment, freedom of movement, and participation in public life, including visiting parks, gyms, and other public spaces. These policies have faced strong criticism from the international community, with human rights organizations emphasizing the importance of acknowledging the presence of “gender apartheid” in the current Afghan regime.
Tamana Zaryab Pariani, who has been staging a sit-in protest in Germany to draw attention to the plight of Afghan women, announced plans to organize protests in various cities. These demonstrations aim to raise awareness about the prevailing gender apartheid under Taliban rule and include individuals who stand for freedom, justice, and equality while condemning the atrocities occurring in Afghanistan.
The Taliban’s response to women’s rights activists has been severe, with many activists detained and subjected to torture. Notably, Neda Parwani and Zholia Parsi, along with their families, have been imprisoned for nearly a month after being arrested in their homes in connection with their protests.
