Taliban has termed the issue of Afghanistan women rights as the country’s “internal matter”. Following the takeover of Taliban in Afghanistan, the rights of Afghan women has emerged as a major issue.
Taliban has made the statement that the demands over Afghan women rights were the country’s issues only to be resolved by Afghanistan itself. The group’s statement comes ahead of United Nations-led engagement talks where the exclusion of Afghan women has sparked outcry, AFP reported.
The Taliban since taking over the Afghanistan’s government in 2021, has imposed restrictions on women which UN has described as "gender apartheid". The UN will send its first delegation to the third round of talks starting in Qatar on Sunday, the report said.
It stated civil society representatives, including from women's rights groups, will attend meetings with the international envoys and UN officials on Tuesday, after the official talks.
Rights groups have condemned the exclusion of Afghan women from the main meetings and the lack of human rights issues on the agenda.
The Taliban authorities "acknowledge the issues about women", government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid was quoted as saying.
"But these issues are Afghanistan's issues," said Mujahid, who will lead the delegation.
"We are working to find a logical path toward solutions inside Afghanistan so that, God forbid, our country doesn't again fall into conflict and discord,” he said.
He said the Taliban government would represent all of Afghanistan at the meetings and, given their authority, should be the only Afghans at the table.
"If Afghans participate through several channels, it means we are still scattered, our nation is still not unified," he said.
The talks were launched by the UN in May 2023 and aim to increase international coordination on engagement with the Taliban authorities, who ousted a Western-backed government when they swept to power.
The Taliban government has not been officially recognised by any country and the international community has wrestled with its approach to Afghanistan's new rulers, with women's rights issues a sticking point for many countries.
Taliban authorities were not invited to the first talks in Doha last year and refused to attend the second conference, demanding that they be the sole Afghan representatives to the exclusion of invited civil society groups. That condition has been met for the third round.
Mujahid reiterated the Taliban government sought positive relations with all countries.
