Kabul’s legitimacy dependson women’s rights: US

WASHINGTON (Tolo News): The US State Department criticized the Islamic Emirate policies on women and girls, saying that these strategies will have a negative impact on the relations of the Islamic Emirate with Washington and the world.
“The legitimacy, the support the Taliban seeks from the international community, it depends on their conduct including centrally and centrally their respect for the rights of women when it comes to the public and private commitments that the Taliban have made. They have made a number of them, including their counterterrorism commitments, including their pledge to respect and to uphold the human rights of women, girls, Afghanistan’s minorities, including the freedom of access, freedom of travel for those who wish to leave Afghanistan, and when it comes to ISIS K and Al-Qaida. Of course, the Taliban has not been living up to the commitment it has made in the realm of human rights,” said the US State Department spokesperson Ned Price.
Price added that Washington’s acknowledgment of the legitimacy of the new government depends on its ensuring the rights of women and girls, fighting terrorism, and other issues in Afghanistan. Following reports that the Islamic Emirate had set up a commission to convene a Loya Jirga, a European Union diplomat said the Loya Jirga could not improve the current situation in Afghanistan and could not give legitimacy to the current government.
“Holding a Loya Jirga will not improve the situation and it will not be enough. Of course, they do not want to win the people’s vote of confidence. All parties must accept it, but holding a meeting in which not everyone is present and does not accept it will not be worth it,” said Andreas von Brandt, EU Representative for Afghanistan. Brandt expressed concerns about some restrictions on women, adding that issues that need improvement have lagged behind.
Kabul has always said that the rights of women and girls are ensured within the framework of Islamic law. TOLOnews tried to get a statement of the Islamic Emirate on this issue but was not able to. Meanwhile, political analysts have differing views on this issue.
“These policies have created a gap between the people and the government, between the government and the international community, especially with Islamic countries, and created a suffocating atmosphere in Afghanistan,” said Tariq Farhadi, political analyst. Earlier, Shahabuddin Delawar, acting head of the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, spoke of setting up a commission to convene a Loya Jirga. Although Delawar did not say anything about the timing of the jirga, he stressed that all Afghans, especially influential figures in the peace process, would be summoned to the Loya Jirga.