LONDON — Britain’s Minister for International Development, Anneliese Dodds, condemned the Taliban’s treatment of Afghan women and girls as “barbaric” and called for the immediate reversal of their restrictive decrees.
Speaking in Parliament, Dodds emphasized that the UK will continue working with international partners to maintain collective pressure on the Taliban.
“We condemn the Taliban’s uphauling treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan,” she said. “The Taliban must revers their barbaric decrees, and we will keep working hard with our international partners to sustain collective pressure.”
Dodds said the Taliban’s policies have systematically eroded nearly every aspect of women’s lives in Afghanistan, making political pressure on the regime essential.
“We must apply significant political pressure,” she said. “I am pleased to announce that the UK politically supports the initiative to refer Afghanistan to the International Court of Justice for violating the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.”
Several British lawmakers also condemned the Taliban’s treatment of women and girls, describing it as “cruel” and “disgusting.”
Rebecca Smith, a member of Parliament, expressed concern over the Taliban’s ban on medical education for women and its impact on international aid programs.
“The Taliban’s oppression and cruelty should concern all of us, and we all undoubtedly condemn the ban on medical education for women,” she said. “The UK has provided significant aid to Afghanistan to support women’s and maternal health. But now that the Taliban is undermining not just women’s rights but also their health, what will happen to these aid programs and their funding?”
Wendy Morton, another MP, echoed these concerns.
“The Taliban’s treatment of women and girls is appalling, and pressure must be applied against it,” she said.
The Taliban have repeatedly claimed they are upholding women’s rights “in accordance with Sharia law.” However, since returning to power in 2021, they have imposed severe restrictions, including bans on education, employment, and public life. Afghan women’s rights activists say they are being systematically erased from society under Taliban rule.
