Afghanistan Peace Campaign
Former British ambassador to Afghanistan Laurie Bristow warned excluding women from education and public life threatens Afghanistan’s long-term future.
Former British ambassador to Afghanistan Laurie Bristow said Britain should continue engaging with the Taliban to understand the group’s positions, while maintaining that London should not formally recognize the currect administration.
Bristow stated on saturday that dialogue with the Taliban does not amount to endorsing its policies, warning that the exclusion of women and girls from education would have profound consequences for Afghanistan’s future.
Bristow said Britain has previously engaged with governments and non-state actors whose policies it opposed, arguing that communication remains necessary even amid fundamental disagreements.
“We do not agree with what the Taliban are doing, particularly against women and girls, and we must continue to explain the consequences of those actions,” he said.
He also warned that preventing women and girls from accessing education effectively deprives Afghanistan of half of its future workforce, undermining the country’s long-term economic and social development.
Bristow said the Taliban could not successfully govern Afghanistan while excluding half of society, adding that international engagement should continue to press the group to lift restrictions on women and girls and expand their participation in public life.
No country has formally recognized the Taliban government since the group returned to power in August 2021. Most Western governments have maintained limited diplomatic contacts focused on humanitarian assistance, counterterrorism and consular issues while linking broader engagement to improvements in human rights, particularly women’s rights.
Since regaining control of Afghanistan, the Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on women and girls, including banning secondary and university education for females and limiting women’s participation in employment and public life. The United Nations has repeatedly described the measures as unprecedented and warned they are worsening Afghanistan’s humanitarian and economic crisis.