Giso Yari, a women’s rights activist and former commissioner of Afghanistan’s Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Service Commission, has criticized international engagement with the Taliban, saying it could encourage the group to further consolidate restrictions on women and girls.
Speaking at a UN-hosted meeting on the situation of Afghan women in New York on September 20, Yari raised concerns about what she described as the normalization of relations between the Taliban and parts of the international community.
Yari said women and girls inside Afghanistan continue to resist policies and laws imposed by the Taliban despite restrictions on their education, employment and participation in public life.
She argued that continued engagement by some countries and international institutions could make the Taliban more confident in maintaining policies that rights advocates describe as a system of gender-based discrimination.
The issue of women’s rights remains a major point of international concern since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021. Afghan women and girls have faced restrictions on secondary and higher education, employment and access to several areas of public life.
International organizations and human rights groups have repeatedly called for the removal of restrictions affecting Afghan women and girls. The Taliban authorities have defended their policies as being based on their interpretation of Islamic law and Afghan social values.
Yari’s remarks come as the international community continues to debate how to engage with Afghanistan’s de facto authorities while addressing humanitarian needs and human rights concerns.
The question of how diplomatic engagement can be maintained without weakening pressure over women’s rights remains a key issue in international discussions on Afghanistan.