UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk calls on the Taliban to repeal oppressive laws aimed at erasing women’s presence in Afghan society, condemning the measures as “utterly intolerable.”
Bollywood Fever: The United Nations human rights chief, Volker Turk, has issued a strong condemnation of the Taliban’s recent enactment of laws that severely restrict the rights and freedoms of women in Afghanistan.
Speaking through a spokesperson at a U.N. press briefing on Tuesday, Turk described the new laws as “egregious” and called for their immediate repeal.
The laws, passed last week, have been criticized for effectively erasing women’s presence in public life, silencing their voices, and stripping them of their individual autonomy. “This is utterly intolerable,” Turk stated, expressing deep concern over the Taliban’s ongoing efforts to marginalize women in Afghan society.
“The passing of these new laws cements policies that completely erase women’s presence in public, silencing their voices and depriving them of their individual autonomy, effectively attempting to render them into faceless, voiceless shadows,” Turk said.
His remarks highlight the growing international outrage over the Taliban’s treatment of women since they took power in August 2021.
The new regulations represent another step in the Taliban’s systematic dismantling of women’s rights in Afghanistan, which has included bans on girls’ education beyond primary school, restrictions on women’s employment, and severe limitations on their ability to participate in public life.
Turk’s appeal to the Taliban comes amid increasing calls from the international community for the group to respect the basic human rights of all Afghans, particularly women and girls, who have borne the brunt of the Taliban’s repressive policies.
The High Commissioner’s statement underscores the United Nations’ commitment to advocating for the rights and dignity of Afghan women, who continue to face unprecedented challenges under the Taliban’s rule.
As the situation in Afghanistan remains dire, the international community is closely watching to see if the Taliban will heed these calls or continue on their current path of oppression, which risks further isolating the country on the global stage.
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