Canada’s Feminist Forum for Afghanistan, representing 69 civil society organizations, issued a statement expressing hope that the fundamental rights of Afghans would be upheld in the upcoming UN-hosted meeting in Doha.
The statement emphasized that the meeting should prioritize human rights, particularly the rights of women and girls, and hold the Taliban accountable.
The participation of women and girls is deemed “vital” for the legitimacy of the Doha process.
The Forum warned that any decision disregarding the reality of women and girls would undermine the Doha process and signal that the voices of the Afghan people are not valued.
The statement proposed several recommendations for the meeting:
- Facilitating an inclusive political path
- Ensuring the participation of women and girls in discussions about Afghanistan’s future
- Recognizing the Taliban’s oppression of women as gender apartheid
- Reopening schools and the Independent Human Rights Commission
The Forum highlighted that the current structure of the Doha talks contradicts the UN Charter and international commitments under UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace, and security.
It further stressed that any engagement with the Taliban must acknowledge its treatment of women and girls as “gender apartheid.”
The third round of the Doha meeting of special envoys for Afghanistan is scheduled to be held from June 30 to July 1.
