International concerns about Afghan women’s rights false: IEA

KABUL (Pajhwok): On International Women’s Day, several international organisations voiced concerns about women’s rights in Afghanistan and presented various demands.

However, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) dismissed their claims as unfounded and politically motivated, asserting that women’s rights under Islamic law are fully protected.

The United Nations has designated March 8 as International Women’s Day.

UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) emphasised the need to uphold Afghan women and girls’ rights and pledged to amplify their voices globally.

According to UNESCO, approximately 1.5 million girls in Afghanistan have been deprived of education, and if the ban continues until 2030, this number could exceed four million.

UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has called on the caretaker government to lift restrictions, which deprive women and girls of their fundamental rights.

“These restrictions are not only violations of human rights but also barriers to Afghanistan’s progress, deepening poverty and isolation for millions”, UNAMA said in a statement.

UNAMA head Roza Otunbayeva said women must play a crucial role in addressing existing and future challenges.

“Restoring their rights to learn and work would transform their lives, communities, and Afghanistan’s future for the benefit of all,” she said.

UNAMA also reaffirmed its support for Afghan women and condemned the progressive erasure of women and girls from public life.

Amnesty International claimed that since 2021, the IEA has issued 80 “repressive” decrees against women’s rights.

The organisation reported that 1.4 million girls are out of school, women are deprived of basic rights, and there is no female representation in politics, sports, or the arts. It urged the international community not to remain silent on the issue.

The UN Women’s division reiterated that investing in Afghan women means investing in Afghanistan’s future and praised Afghan women for continuing to fight for their rights despite challenges. The organisation called for turning solidarity into action.

UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) acknowledged Afghan women’s contributions in agriculture, stating: “We recognise Afghan women’s role in food security, economic growth, and the fight against hunger.”

Meanwhile, Saif-ul-Islam Khyber, spokesperson for the Ministry of Vice and Virtue (MoVV), stated in a voice message that Islam grants women a high status as mothers, sisters, daughters, and wives, with specific Sharia-based rights to ensure their dignity and respect.

He emphasized that the IEA’s six-point decree guarantees women’s Islamic rights and obligates officials, tribal leaders, religious scholars, and elders to uphold them. He added that the ministry is committed to protecting the rights of all individuals in accordance with Islamic teachings.

Khyber accused international organisations and certain countries of using women’s rights as a political tool for the past two decades and continuing this practice today.

He asserted that Afghan women were currently enjoying all their Sharia-based rights and living with honor and dignity.

“The claim that women’s rights are being violated in Afghanistan is a false political tool used for pressure. Various groups exploit this issue for their own agendas,” he said.

He added that recent international conferences on women’s rights had exposed the hypocrisy of some organizations and EU member states, proving they are unaware of ground realities and merely using Afghan women’s names for their own interests.

According to Khyber, in the past three years, the ministry has resolved over 50,000 cases related to women’s inheritance, dowry, alimony, forced marriages, abuse, violence, and domestic confinement.

kk/ma