Human rights well protected in Afghanistan: Fitrat

KABUL (Pajhwok): Some countries and organisations have alleged human rights violations and gender discrimination in Afghanistan under the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) rule but the acting government in Kabul categorically refused these allegations.

Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly on her X handle wrote: “Under the Taliban, Afghan women & girls have been silenced. The Taliban has consistently violated international law. We will not rest until justice prevails and they see freedom. We stand firm & unwavering in our support for the women and girls of Afghanistan.”

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong told reporters in New York: “The Taliban has demonstrated contempt for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and girls in Afghanistan, through a campaign of sustained and systematic oppression”

Germany Foreign Ministry on its X handler wrote: “With #CEDAW, Afghanistan has committed itself to protecting the rights of women and girls. This commitment also applies to the Taliban. But they want to make women silent and invisible. We are fighting against these crimes against female humanity.”

The statement added: “That is why @ABaerbock, @SenatorWong,@melaniejoly, @ministerBZ together with our partners, including those from the Islamic world, gave the starting signal today on the sidelines of #UNGA79 to make the Taliban comply with their commitments.”

This comes that Australia has taken groundbreaking legal action with Canada, Germany and the Netherlands which could see all four countries take the Taliban to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over its oppression of women.

The decision has been praised by women’s rights advocates from Afghanistan who say there is a desperate need for the international community to ramp up pressure on the Taliban, just days after the regime introduced new laws banning women from showing their faces or speaking in public.

In response the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) Deputy Spokesperson Mullah Hamdullah Fitrat on his X handle wrote that accusing the IEA of human rights violations and gender discrimination by some countries and organisations is absurd, human rights were protected in Afghanistan and no one is discriminated.

He wrote: “Regrettably, there is an orchestrated effort to disseminate misinformation about Afghanistan, using the testimonies of a few individuals, particularly escaped women, to portray a false narrative.”

Earlier, Mawlavi Abdul Karbir, deputy prime minister for political affairs, told a media outlet in an exclusive interview: “85,000 women are currently officially employed in the IEA, 85,000 women are working in medical and nursing sector, women are working in the education sector, airport, passport and statistics departments, there are some hospitals in Kabul which are run by our sisters, the situation is totally different here compared to the what is propagated outside.”