The Taliban said it is “absurd” to accuse the leadership of gender discrimination – despite banning women from most public places and jobs.
Its bizarre comments come as four countries vow to hold Afghanistan’s rulers accountable under international law for their treatment of women and girls.
Australia, Canada, Germany and the Netherlands are set to start legal proceedings against the group for violating a UN convention on women, to which Afghanistan is a party.
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(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The countries launched the initiative on Wednesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, which is taking place in New York until Monday.
Despite promising more moderate rule after they seized power in 2021, the Taliban has barred women and girls from education beyond sixth grade, many public spaces and most jobs.
In August, the Vice and Virtue Ministry issued laws banning women’s bare faces and prohibiting them from raising their voices in public.
More than 20 countries expressed their support yesterday (THUR) for the proposed legal action against the Taliban.
They said: “We condemn the gross and systematic human rights violations and abuses in Afghanistan, particularly the gender-based discrimination against women and girls.
“Afghanistan is responsible under international law for its ongoing gross and systematic violation of numerous obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.”
The countries also said they did not politically recognize the Taliban as the legitimate leaders of the Afghan population.
They added: “Afghanistan’s failure to fulfill its human rights treaty obligations is a key obstacle to normalization of relations.”
But the Taliban’s deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said human rights were protected in Afghanistan and that nobody faced discrimination.
He said on social media platform X: “Unfortunately, an attempt is being made to spread propaganda against Afghanistan through the mouths of several fugitive (Afghan) women and misrepresent the situation.
“It is absurd to accuse the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan of violating human rights and gender discrimination.”
The Taliban rejects all criticism of its policies, especially those affecting women and girls, describing it as interference.
The group maintains that its actions are in line with their interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia.