Key Takeaways:
– Sher Abbas Stanikzai, a top Taliban official, has publicly criticized the Taliban’s policy to prohibit female education in Afghanistan.
– He called for the lifting of these bans, asserting it was an injustice to women and girls.
– His statement comes after similar pronouncements by global leaders like 2022 Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai.
– However, no country has yet recognized the Taliban’s regime, posing challenges to its international relations.
– Recognition by the United Nations hinges on factors like female education rights, employment opportunities for women, and their freedom to go out without a male guardian.
Leadership Insists on Female Education Rights
Sher Abbas Stanikzai, a seasoned political figure and the current deputy at the Foreign Ministry, laid down a crucial condition for the Taliban regime. He suggested to Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada that there should be no obstruction to education for Afghan women and girls. Stanikzai’s comments, made in a religious school ceremony in southeastern Khost province, condemned the existing ban on female education beyond the sixth grade.
Stanikzai Appeals to Leadership
“We are committing an injustice against 20 million people out of a population of 40 million, depriving them of all their rights. This is not in Islamic law, but our personal choice or nature,” lamented Stanikzai. He leveraged this public platform to voice his opposition to the current policies and to urge the leadership to revisit their stance. While he has mentioned the rights of women and girls before, this is his first direct appeal to the leadership calling for policy change.
International Voices Echo Stanikzai’s Concerns
His call for change aligns with global sentiments expressed by international figures like Malala Yousafzai, the 2022 Nobel Peace laureate. At a conference in Islamabad held by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Muslim World League, Yousafzai urged Muslim leaders to challenge the Taliban’s policies concerning women’s and girls’ education.
Impacts on International Relations
Stanikzai’s comments come at a time when no country recognizes the Taliban as the legitimate rulers of Afghanistan. However, countries such as Russia and India have been discreetly establishing links with the Taliban regime. A recent demonstration of this was a meeting between India’s top diplomat Vikram Mistri, and Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Dubai, which points to burgeoning collaboration.
The UN Position: Recognition Under Conditions
The United Nations has previously stated that bestowing recognition on the Taliban government is nearly unfeasible until drastic changes are made. These changes include the removal of bans on female education, enhancing employment opportunities for women, and allowing them to step out in public without a male guardian. These conditions underscore the international community’s insistence upon adherence to human rights norms and standards.
Sher Abbas Stanikzai’s move, publicly calling for a change in the Taliban regime’s policies for women’s education rights, echoes similar concerns from international actors. While it remains to be seen how Taliban leadership will respond, the world waits eagerly for a decision that affects the lives of millions of Afghan women and girls, each deserving of the fundamental right to education.