Link To Article: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/14/gulf-diplomats-urge-taliban-to-respect-womens-rights
In this article members from Gulf states (Gulf Cooperation Council or GCC which involves 6 countries- Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and oman) met with the Afghan foreign minister with the main topic of discussion revolving around Afghanistan’s current humanitarian crisis following the Taliban’s takeover in August. In the meeting the GCC stressed the importance of basic rights and freedoms as well as the right for women to receive educations, however thus far no agreements have been made by Taliban leaders. Currently the Taliban government desperately wishes to unfreeze assets and loosen sanctions in order to deal with its current humanitarian crisis as many families currently grow hungry. Although the new Taliban says they will not be as strict as the 1996-2001 power, women currently are under similar strict rules as before, falsifying this claim.
With no country currently recognizing the Taliban as a Government, and no country eager to unfreeze the Taliban’s assets or get rid of sanctions, the possibility for terrorist groups to act out in retaliation and for Afghan women to face increased domestic violence, heightens immensely. In a recent vice documentary I watched many women in Afghanistan are facing insanely strict rues with the new Taliban in power. Some examples I observed were the billboards or posters of women throughout cities being spray painted over as they were not modest enough, the lack of women out in public due to fear and new rules, women who were once receiving an education or in school now being punished or removed from schools, and now shelters that were once a safe haven for women are now in fear of death from the Taliban, cruel and unusual punishments are now in place once again due to the new regime. I think this article highlights the negative effects of the taliban on Afghan citizens which is important as countries are debating in whether or not to offer aid and relief. Some of the effects of the takeover is the progression of women rights now reversing its direction post 2001.
This article relates to new themes discussed in class such as the importance of IGO’s. With the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres concerned with the happenings in Afghanistan, the humanitarian crisis is receiving the necessary attention specifically from western powers who have strong concerns for safeguarding human rights world wide (especially regarding hunger issues, women, and children). With the GCC and the MUN recogizing this issue hopefully the issue can somewhat improve hastily without giving aid to the Taliban that “encourages behavior.” With IGO’s countries are able to cooperate and provide services more efficiently (multiple actors working on one common goal or issue).