Written BY: Mehdi Rezai
Thomas West, the Special Representative of the United States for Afghanistan, has stated that the suppression of women and girls in this country has a profound impact on their mental health, families, society, and Afghanistan’s economic life.
On Thursday, he wrote on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, referring to the suppression of women in Afghanistan, “We must remember millions of Afghan girls facing the most severe forms of oppression in Afghanistan.”
He says the restrictions imposed on women and girls in Afghanistan are “unprecedented in the world.”
The U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan has labelled the Taliban responsible for the oppression of women and stated, “Nowhere else have half of middle and high school students been deprived of education.”
In his view, this deprivation “will have a severe and destructive impact on the mental well-being of women and even the economic structure of the country.”
In a social media post, Thomas West emphasized that “the Taliban are responsible for this oppression. The international community must continue to support Afghan girls, hear their voices, and empower them.”
He believes “securing a bright and secure future for Afghanistan depends on listening to and supporting women’s voices.”
Two years have passed since the Taliban administration came to power. During this time, most women have experienced severe restrictions and have ultimately been confined to their homes or forced to leave Afghanistan due to the threats they face.
Rina Amiri, the U.S. Special Representative for Afghan Women, has also criticized the policies of the Taliban administration, saying, “The Taliban’s approach jeopardizes the rights of women and girls everywhere.”
In her opinion, the “strict policies of the Taliban” do not only concern Afghanistan and this gender-based approach may influence other societies’ efforts towards gender equality.
Rina Amiri, expressing concern about the Taliban’s attitude towards women’s freedoms, added, “The Taliban are creating a dangerous precedent that others may emulate. This approach endangers the rights of women and girls everywhere. It is our collective duty to resist these extremist policies meaningfully.”
Despite one of the fundamental conditions set by the United Nations and other women’s rights advocacy organizations for engaging with the current regime of the Taliban being the recognition of women’s rights and the observance of their freedoms, the Taliban has not yet acted on this front.
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