Global concerns over Afghanistan rise as Taliban celebrate five years back in power

Over five years since the Taliban reclaimed power in Afghanistan, international concerns have surged regarding human rights violations and a worsening security situation. The European Union and global organizations contend the Taliban have failed to tackle the nation's humanitarian and natural crises, largely due to severe limitations placed on Afghan women.

France has reaffirmed its commitment to the Afghan people, stating that the country continues to confront a severe humanitarian, economic, and security crisis that is worsening and threatens regional stability.

The basic rights and freedoms of the population, especially women and girls, are continually being infringed upon. Women and girls are barred from secondary and higher education. The Taliban have been enacting discriminatory laws and measures, aiming to entirely strip them of their presence in public life. The UN cultural agency reported that approximately 2.5 million Afghan women have been prohibited from attending secondary schools and universities since 2021.

Today, half of Afghan women only venture outside their homes a few times a month, according to data released by UN Women on Wednesday.

The Taliban claim to respect women's rights under their interpretation of Sharia law. However, women and girls are systematically excluded from public life, including schools, universities, jobs, and public spaces. Public acts of flogging and stoning have resumed, as reported by Hannah Neumann, a member of the European Parliament, who accused Germany and the EU of failing to support Afghans.

On Friday, 56 UN member states, as represented by Denmark, called for the Taliban to immediately revoke discriminatory policies and decrees, particularly those affecting women and girls. The states warned that repression, terrorism, and limitations on humanitarian operations jeopardize Afghanistan's stability, adding that Afghan citizens are suffering the consequences of these issues, which have long-term implications for regional security.

The UN has appealed to donors to avoid reducing funding for women's programs in Afghanistan, as this would exacerbate the suffering in a country where women's conditions are already the worst globally.