US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has strongly condemned the Taliban’s policies that continue to suppress Afghan women and girls, calling their full participation in society not only a matter of equality but an essential component for Afghanistan’s development.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Blinken criticized the Taliban’s discriminatory practices, stating, “The U.S. condemns the Taliban’s discriminatory edicts, which jeopardize the rights and lives of Afghan women and girls. Women’s full, equal, and meaningful participation in society is not merely a matter of equality; it is essential. We resolutely support Afghan women and girls.”
The U.S. condemns the Taliban’s discriminatory edicts, which jeopardize the rights and lives of Afghan women and girls. Women’s full, equal, and meaningful participation in society is not merely a matter of equality; it is essential. We resolutely support Afghan women and girls.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) December 11, 2024
The statement came amidst the Taliban’s decision to suspend medical education for women—a move that has drawn widespread condemnation. The US Department of State, in a separate press release, labeled the directive as “an unjustifiable attack on women’s access to education and healthcare.”
The press statement outlined how the Taliban’s policies, including the August edicts under the “Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice” law, aim to completely erase women and girls from public life. These measures prevent women from traveling without male guardians, seeking health services from male providers, and now deny them opportunities to pursue medical education. The State Department warned that such actions jeopardize not only Afghan women and girls but the overall health and well-being of all Afghans.
The United States reiterated its support for the rights of Afghan women and girls, vowing to continue advocating for their full, equal, and meaningful participation in society. The statement called on the Taliban to rescind its discriminatory directives and urged the international community to stand united in condemning these actions.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) recently published its quarterly report, covering incidents from July to September. The report highlighted significant concerns, including restrictions on women’s and girls’ rights, the enforcement of oppressive edicts, civilian casualties, border incidents, freedom of expression, and judicial actions.
