Fifty women demonstrated in Afghanistan to demand their rights – Telam

Women do not want to be excluded from government decisions, which the Taliban will not be willing to give up.

Dozens of women demonstrated in Afghanistan to demand their right to work under the new regime established by the Taliban movement.

The protest developed as the Islamists, who promised more flexible management than that imposed during their previous administration (1996-2001), tried to form a government that they already anticipated “may not have women”.

“There are talks to form a government, but (the Taliban) are not talking about women’s participation”“

Basira Taheri

The number two of the Talibn’s office in Doha, Inayatulhaq Yasini, told the BBC that women “have a right to be” in the government being negotiated, although he hinted that their presence could be a testimony.

In this sense, he admitted that “there may” be no women, “especially in senior positions”, meaning that ministries will only be headed by men, the agency reported. Europa Press release.

During their period in power between 1996 and 2001, marked by strict application of Islamic law, women disappeared from the Afghan public sphere.

In the city of Herat, the cosmopolitan capital of western Afghanistan, some fifty women demonstrated to claim their right to work and demand their participation in the new executive.

“It is our duty to have education, work and safety”the demonstrators chanted in unison. “We are not afraid, we are united”they added.

“There are talks to form a government, but (the Taliban) are not talking about the participation of women,” said one of the protest organizers, Basira Taheri, as quoted by the AFP news agency.

“We want the Taliban to agree to speak with us.”, aggregate.

The Taliban will need to find funds to pay civil servants’ salaries and maintain vital infrastructure such as water, electricity and communications.

Protesters, including activists, university students and government officials, unfurled banners claiming that “no government is viable without women,” according to images released by media outlets such as Tolo News and the Jaama agency.

This type of demonstration or public expression of discontent is something new for the Taliban, who ruthlessly suppressed all opposition during their previous government.

Among the 122,000 Afghans and foreigners who have fled Afghanistan in recent weeks thanks to evacuations organized by the West, was the first Afghan woman journalist to interview a Taliban official live on television.

Beseshta Arghand, journalist for the private Afghan network Tolo News, had to flee to Qatar, fearing for her life, when the Islamists seized power.

“I want to say to the international community: please do something for the Afghan women”, declares.

The challenges of the new government

On the other hand, the new Afghan government will face an immense task: rebuilding an economy devastated by two decades of war and dependent on international aid, largely frozen after the Taliban took power.

In the streets of Kabul, this is the big concern. “With the arrival of the Taliban, we can say that there is security, but business is below zero”, according to Karim Jan, an electronics dealer.

The Taliban urgently needs to find funds to pay civil servants’ salaries and keep vital infrastructure such as water, electricity and communications functioning.

One of its priorities will be the operation of the Kabul airport, essential for the medical and humanitarian support the country needs to arrive.

Today, Qatar’s Foreign Minister Mohamed bin Abdelrahman al-Thani said his government is negotiating with the Taliban to reopen Kabul airport “as soon as possible”, although “no deal” was reached. ‘has yet been found on the issue.