WomanPost calls on the UN to reconsider its exclusion of Afghan women from the Doha talks.
The credibility of this meeting will be severely undermined if it fails to effectively address the human rights crisis in Afghanistan and neglects to include Afghan women human rights defenders and other key stakeholders from Afghan civil society.
United Nations confirmed that the upcoming UN-convened Doha talks will proceed without Afghan women activists and civil society representatives. Furthermore, the agenda will not address the rights of girls and women.
The Doha meeting is a pivotal opportunity to influence Afghanistan's future, but sidelining women risks significant setbacks. WomanPost reflects the tweets, views, and statements of prominent Afghan figures who have joined this movement:
Alia Ansari As a female artist, I witness the erosion of musical values in Afghanistan, and sessions that do not address these realities and issues are not valid for me.
Ayeda Shadab By not including women in the Doha human rights talks, the UN is sending a message that women's voices and rights are secondary, which is a step backward in the fight for gender equality.
Baktash Siawash The media exaggerates the importance of the Doha meetings, but as long as the West continues its double standards, nothing will improve for Afghan women.
Fatima Amiri I don't see much difference between those who deprive women of all their rights and those who organize Doha without the presence of women while no word is going to speak about their rights.
Fawzia Koofi The exclusion of Afghan women from the Doha meeting is contrary to international resolutions about women.
Heather Barr For 25 years we have looked to the UN to take the lead on upholding Security Council resolution 1325 on women’s participation. Doha 3 was a stunning betrayal of both Afghan women and women globally; it will do long-term damage to the UN’s credibility.
Khalid Kayhan As a male artist, I find it disappointing that music is disappearing in Afghanistan and is not addressed in discussions and meetings. Ignoring these vital issues weakens the legitimacy of meetings on Afghanistan.
Laleh Osmany Excluding women from the Doha session did not discourage them; instead, it united them in their struggle, making them more resolute and committed against the oppression.
Lina Ruzbih For 3 years, headlines about Afghanistan have focused on "a country where women's rights are violated." Yet today, the UN representatives of the modern world sat with the government that violated these rights and discussed everything except women's rights!
Masooma Khawari Why is the UN holding a meeting on Afghanistan in Doha? They seem to agree with the situation and have no problem with the violation of human rights, especially women’s rights in Afghanistan. They could have held this meeting in Kabul because they had given in to all the demands.
Mina Rafiq It is unacceptable to make decisions about 51% (women) of the population —without inviting them to participate.
Musawer Begana The exclusion of women from the Doha meeting harms the United Nations and undermines gender equality, which is a fundamental principle of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Nargis Nehan History will note that while Afghan women were oppressed and suppressed, they were also ignored, sidelined, and excluded by the UN and their allies.
Nazila Jamshidi Afghan women are enduring the worst human rights crisis on Earth, yet their plight and representation are systematically excluded from critical talk on Afghanistan.
Negina Yari Excluding women from the diplomatic discussions in Doha sends a clear message that women's voices and rights are considered secondary, marking a regressive step in the global pursuit of gender equality.
Nayera Kohistani Doha is no longer credible. We need a collective movement and human power to stand by us with civil resistance and prevent the wrong decisions of their countries against our defenseless homeland anywhere in the world. Let's preserve their purity by not attending these negotiations.
Nilofar Ayoubi Doha 3 stands as a glaring failure of the UN, exposing the organization's steep decline and its inept handling of critical women's and human rights issues in Afghanistan.
Nigara Mirdad Countries achieved peace and prosperity where men and women played fundamental and equal roles. Don't deprive Afghanistan women from their rights.
Sarah Little Excluding women from the Doha talks is unacceptable and sets a dangerous precedent, potentially legitimizing a future where half the population is silenced. Sustainable peace requires women to be included at the negotiating table.
Sahraa Karimi When the United Nations and the international community meet and interact with the anti-women groups, we boycott and sanction such a meeting.
Shabnam Bayani We, the women of Afghanistan, boycott meetings without women's participation, as they are meaningless with one-sided attendance.
Shabnam Khan Dawran Today, no female journalist in Afghanistan can appear without a mask. This issue is more important than other discussions. Any meeting about Afghanistan should prioritize addressing our lost values first.
Shukria Barakzai The UN should use Doha 3 to pressure for an end to discriminatory policies and the restoration of women's and girls' rights in Afghanistan. Failure to do so not only perpetuates injustice but also damages the credibility of international institutions committed to human rights protection.
Sodaba Usmani A UN meeting on Afghan women will lack female representation, signaling global disregard for their rights and inviting only a representative of the ruling group in Afghanistan, resulting in no positive outcomes for Afghan women.
Tahmina Salik As the third UN-convened meeting on Afghanistan approaches, it's disheartening to see Afghan civil society, especially women, sidelined. Underestimating Afghan women's voices is disappointing and undermines the gathering's credibility.
Tahmina Usmani Women are the primary victims of misogynistic policies in Afghanistan. Holding meetings without women's presence is a deal with the fate of the people, especially women of Afghanistan.
Tamana Zaryab Paryani Every platform should be used to advocate for Stop Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan. For justice, humanity, and freedom for women of Afghanistan. We have to stand up and break our silence. Just together we can!
Yalda Royan By excluding Afghan women from Doha 3, the UN is sadly boosting their ongoing systematic oppression.
Zahra Joya The absence of Afghan women at the Doha meeting is striking. In a country where half the population lacks basic rights, the agenda focuses on drugs and terrorism instead.
The systematic denial of basic freedoms, including education, has severely impacted all aspects of life for girls and women in Afghanistan. Such blatant human rights violations against girls and women threaten the core principles of justice and equality.
The Doha process follows the Doha Peace Talks that began in 2019, meetings which gradually marginalized Afghan women, minorities, and civil society groups. Unfortunately, the current talks continue this trend, with the absence of women, minorities, and civil society groups in both the sessions and the agenda.
WomanPost calls on the UN Secretary-General, senior UN officials, and all special envoys to reform and revise future UN meetings and agendas regarding Afghanistan to ensure inclusivity.
WomanPost stands united with the girls and women of Afghanistan and demands swift and just action to protect their freedoms and human rights in Afghanistan.