Foreign ministers from 24 countries to Taliban: Lift restrictions on women immediately

Bayan News

Foreign ministers from 24 countries issued a joint statement on the occasion of International Women’s Solidarity Day, calling on the Taliban’s acting government to immediately lift restrictions on Afghan women and girls.

The joint statement by the ministers was published on the official website of the U.S. Department of State on
Wednesday (March 8th).

The statement was made by foreign ministers from the UNITED States, Britain, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Switzerland, Swedish, Spain, South Korea, Qatar, Norway, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Germany, France, Fenland, Denmark, Bulgaria, Belgium and Australia.

“On the occasion of International Women’s Day, we are allied to draw attention to the situation in Afghanistan,” the statement said. “The situation in the past year and a half has witnessed one of the most severe downturns in respect for the human rights of women and girls globally.”

Foreign ministers have warned that unless the restrictions are lifted, it will be devastating and irreparable to Afghanistan’s economy and society, as every Afghan will feel.

The joint statement by the foreign ministers of 24 countries referred to the OIC statement, which said the decision to block women and girls from accessing education was against Islamic law.

According to the statement, full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and girls and their equal and meaningful participation at the community level is not only a goal, but also a precursor to sustainable economic, political, social and stability development in Afghanistan.

Senior officials of the acting government also congratulated women and girls on International Women’s Day.