The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) recently conducted a survey among Afghan women, shedding light on their apprehensions concerning the potential recognition of the Taliban.

Interviews with 745 women from all 34 provinces revealed that nearly 67% of respondents fear that recognizing the Taliban could worsen the already precarious situation of women’s rights in the country.

According to the survey’s findings, a significant portion of Afghan women, approximately 32%, are open to the idea of recognizing the Taliban only if all imposed restrictions on women are entirely lifted.

Interestingly, the report highlights varying degrees of opinion among Afghan women regarding the conditions for recognizing the Taliban. While 25% of respondents are in favour of recognition after the removal of some existing restrictions, another 28% firmly oppose any recognition under any circumstances, emphasizing the gravity of the situation for women in Afghanistan.

A separate survey conducted by UNAMA in July 2023 revealed that an overwhelming 96% of Afghan women prefer any recognition of the Taliban to be contingent on significant improvements in the situation of women.

The report also highlights the Taliban’s introduction of 50 decrees directly targeting women’s rights, according to the United Nations. This alarming statistic underscores the systematic challenges Afghan women face and the urgent need for international attention and action to protect their rights and freedoms.

The Taliban’s arbitrary detentions instill fear in Afghan women, with 57% afraid to go outside without a male relative. Only 1% believe they influence community decisions. Women oppose Taliban recognition without lifting restrictions. They seek international support to address Taliban oppression, emphasizing the need for women’s rights in Afghanistan.

Deprose Muchena, Senior Director at Amnesty International, emphasized the crucial opportunity presented by the upcoming UN-convened meeting in Doha, Qatar, on February 18-19 to address the culture of impunity and the human rights abuses of the Taliban.

He stresses the need for unified action to safeguard the rights of all Afghan citizens, particularly women and girls, and to address the culture of impunity enabling the Taliban’s human rights abuses.

Amnesty International, alongside nine other organizations, wrote to the UN Secretary-General on February 7, 2024. They urged ensuring Afghan civil society, including women human rights defenders, participate fully in the Doha meeting, prioritizing women’s rights in discussions.

“The upcoming Doha meeting is a significant opportunity for a unified and concerted action to protect the rights of all Afghan people, particularly the rights of women and girls. The culture of impunity that enables the Taliban’s ongoing grave human rights violations needs to be addressed urgently,” Muchena said.

He said that the Taliban in Afghanistan disregard international law, severely limit freedoms, and intensify discrimination against women and girls.

He also added, “The Taliban as the de facto authorities in Afghanistan have shown a complete disregard of the country’s obligations under international law having severely restricted the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, and access to justice in the country. The Taliban’s discriminatory restrictions on the rights of women and girls, with the apparent aim of completely erasing them from public arenas, has also intensified in recent months.”

meanwhile, he urged the International community to demand Taliban reverse restrictions on women’s rights and release arbitrarily detained individuals.

“The international community cannot continue to take a ‘business as usual’ approach vis-a-vis the human rights situation in Afghanistan. In Doha, the UN Secretary-General, senior UN officials, and all Special Envoys attending the meeting from the region and beyond should insist that the Taliban immediately reverse all restrictions curtailing the rights of women and girls and release all those arbitrarily arrested and unlawfully detained,” he urged.

On February 18 and 19, 2024, the UN-convened meeting of Special Envoys and Representatives on Afghanistan will gather in Doha, Qatar. It aims to discuss the path forward on Afghanistan’s independent assessment mandated by Resolution 2679.

The Taliban’s strict dress code enforcement has intensified, further oppressing women and girls. Their discriminatory measures escalate, targeting dissenters with torture, imprisonment, and disappearance, potentially constituting crimes against humanity.

KABUL, February 17, 2024 – Mansoor Nekmal, the Editor in Chief of Khaama Press, has been detained following a summons to the Ministry of Vice and Virtue, sparking urgent calls for his release and a rallying cry for press freedom in Afghanistan.

The detention came after a recent report published by Khaama Press on the hijab issue, which led to Mr. Nekmal being summoned by the ministry. Mr. Nekmal attended a meeting at the ministry on Saturday, February 17, from where his whereabouts became unknown, leading to concerns over his arrest.

The report in question highlighted the decreased visibility of women on Kabul’s streets following arrests related to hijab violations, incorporating insights from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and Rina Amiri, the U.S. Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights. It also included interviews with young women, their identities protected by masks, voicing their concerns over the recent crackdown.

The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) has expressed deep concern over Mr. Nekmal’s arrest, calling for his “immediate and unconditional release.” The AFJC emphasizes the need for the Taliban Ministry of Vice and Virtue to adhere to media laws and allow journalists to operate freely within the legal framework.

Mansoor Nekmal has been an integral part of Khaama Press, leading the Kabul office for approximately two years. His detention is a distressing signal to the press community in Afghanistan, suggesting an escalation in efforts to silence independent media.

Khaama Press, standing firm on its commitment to journalism and the truth, calls upon international organizations, human rights agencies, and the global community to support the cause for press freedom in Afghanistan. The immediate release of Mansoor Nekmal is imperative not only for his safety but as a stand against the suppression of free speech and the media in Afghanistan.

We urge all stakeholders to advocate for the principles of freedom of expression and the protection of journalists worldwide, reminding authorities of their obligation to respect and ensure the free flow of information, which is crucial for a democratic society.