The Canada Feminist Forum for Afghanistan has expressed strong opposition to the Taliban’s invitation to the COP29 climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, calling it a blatant disregard for the group’s human rights violations.
In an open letter to the United Nations, the advocacy group argued that the invitation undermines the UN’s core values and principles. “At no point have the Taliban demonstrated their commitment to the national interests of Afghanistan or toward global cooperation on climate change,” the letter stated.
The group condemned the Taliban’s ongoing human rights abuses, describing the severe restrictions imposed on women and girls as tantamount to gender apartheid. “The Taliban continue to perpetrate serious human rights violations as an integral aspect of their rule,” the letter read, adding that the group is neither recognized by the Afghan people nor the international community as a legitimate governing authority.
The letter also accused the Taliban of exploiting Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis—much of which they are responsible for creating—to enrich themselves and promote an extremist agenda.
Despite the criticism, the Taliban reported that a delegation led by Matiul Haq Khalis, head of their Environmental Protection Agency, traveled to COP29, which runs from November 11 to 22. This marks the first time the Taliban has been invited to a major international climate event.
The invitation has sparked a wider debate about the role of unrecognized regimes in global forums. Critics argue that granting the Taliban a platform at such events could legitimize their rule, despite their track record of severe human rights violations.
The UN has not yet publicly commented on the concerns raised in the letter. Meanwhile, activists continue to call for accountability and meaningful representation for Afghanistan’s people, especially its women and girls, in international decision-making processes.
