Adela Azin Nazari
It was expected to be discussed Major local and internal issues in the grand meeting of clerics held from 30 June -2 July, in the Loya Jirga Hall aimed to gain local legitimacy and allegiance of the clerics. Although it was expected that more than 3000 clerics in the meeting discuss the main local, regional, and international concerns, it was conducted without the presence of women and media. The lack of representation of women as half of the society of the country caused wide criticism of women and international women’s rights organizations.
International expectations of the Grand Clerics Meeting
Heather Barr Deputy Human Rights Watch for women, “The Taliban campaign to erase women from public life can’t be legitimized,” Heather Barr said before the meeting initiated. People strongly expect the meeting to take at least small progress on ending the violation of women’s and girls’ rights by the Taliban.
“Taliban can hold as many Jirgas as they can but, such events do not bring legitimacy unless women are invited to such meetings”, Hannah Neumann a member of the European Parliament said.
The objection of women due to the lack of presence of Women in the Meeting
A number of women’s rights protesters criticized the Taliban clerics’ meeting and “The main movement of strong Afghan women”, in a statement on Clerics Gran Meeting said any kind of meeting and Jirga without the participation of women was illegitimate.
According to them neglecting women in the Clerics’ Meeting show erasing women from public life and denying their human rights.
“The Taliban meeting is neither a meeting nor Jirga, because it lacks the criteria of such events, as such, it is the meeting of some Taliban on their internal issues and is not relevant to the national and public issues.” The statement added.
According to them, the lack of inclusion of women in politics is the unchangeable vision of the Taliban on women.
Discussing Girls’ Education
Although the Afghan people and international community expected the education of girls, work, and political participation of women to be discussed as one of the main items of the meeting, it did not happen; only two clerics, Sayed Nasrullah Waezi from Bamyan emphasized on opening the girls’ schools and Mawlawi Abdul Qaher from Balkh province said the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan did not oppose women education.
Taliban’s reaction to women education and participation in the Grand Meeting
Zabihullah Mujahid the Taliban’s Spokesperson said on the criticism about the lack of women’s participation that the meeting was conducted based on the cleric’s request and the Emirate officials had no role in not inviting women to the meeting. However, Akhondzada the Taliban leader will make the final decision about the Girls’ education.
Reactions to the latest Taliban decisions
Michelle Bachele United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights denounced the Taliban restrictions on women in the UNHRC meeting and expressed her deep concerns over the life of the Afghan people and especially Afghan women. According to Bachele Afghan women have lost their jobs and about 1.2 million girls do not have access to education from August 201, in the country. She mentioned erasing women from Public life as a systematic approach.
“Taliban’s horrible efforts to erase women from the society has reached to its fullness, as a result, there is no women in the Garand Clerics Meeting and Men represent women in the meeting“, Richard Bennet the UN Especial Rapporteur Richard Bennet for Afghanistan said.
According to Bennet the measures of the Taliban are contrary to the Conventions that Afghanistan has signed.
Fawzia Kofi, a former member of the Afghanistan National Assembly in the meeting said, “I suggest to all the countries participating in the meeting to provide more resources to Afghanistan. Kindly do not allow the Taliban to form a government without women’s participation”.
Women’s Views on the Clerics Gran Meeting
Fatima Rashidi, Manager of an educational center in Kabul, “From the Taliban view women are replaceable, if women are erased from the society, it does not matter; men will replace them. We witness the role of women decrease in society constantly unless it is completely erased from the public scene. One of the major outcomes of Taliban approach is that women will not have a role in socio-political decisions anymore.” She said.
“Women did not have the right to work and education in the first government of Taliban too, their participation in political decision making and occupying high-level positions are other issues“, Farzana Sharif a private university lecturer said. “Taliban have always had anti-women policies. And it will cause them to be further discredited at the international level. They have done nothing positive, and they have only limited women and it is not acceptable for no one”, she added.
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