UN Wasekjen Desak Taliban Change Ways Of View From 13th Century Towards 21, Women Have Rights In Islam

UN Secretary General Amina J. Mohammed (center) spoke with students at SD Negeri 2 Tanjung Benoa, Badung, Bali, Tuesday (24/5/2022). (ANTARA/Fikri Yusuf)

JAKARTA - UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed invited Muslim countries to warn Afghanistan's de facto government, the Taliban, that women have rights in Islam. Amina Mohammed traveled to a number of countries including Turkey, Indonesia, and Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, before his delegation visited Afghanistan for a number of views through engagement with the Taliban. "At this time there is a suggestion that the United Nations together with the OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) and a number of countries in March hold international conferences on women in the Muslim world, and this conference will raise issues in Afghanistan and also in the region," Amina said as quoted by Anadolu via Antara, Thursday, January 26. This was conveyed by Amina to reporters at the United Nations headquarters after returning from her four-day visit to Afghanistan. “ When (Pakistan women's education activist) Malala (Yousafzai) was shot, she was shot in Pakistan. So this is a problem in the region. There is a role in the region that also needs to appear forward in fighting for women's rights in Islam, ” he added. He also stressed the importance for Muslim countries to jointly remind the Taliban that women have rights in Islam. “ A lot of things we have to deal with is finding ways to get the Taliban to change the point of view from the 13th century to the 21st century, and it's a long journey,” he said. The Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, followed by a chaotic international financial aid that has left this torn-out country in an economic, humanitarian and human rights crisis. The Taliban regime recently decided to close universities across the country for female students until further notice and prohibit girls from taking lessons in secondary schools. The Taliban also restricts freedom of movement for women and girls, excludes women from large numbers of jobs and prohibits women from using parks, gyms, and public showers. Afghan women and girls have been deprived of their rights, including rights to education, and have disappeared from people's lives under the leadership of the Taliban. Thousands of Afghan women have since lost their jobs or been forced to resign from government agencies and the private sector. Girls are also prohibited from participating in educational activities in high and high schools. Many Afghan women, demanding their rights be returned, took to the streets to protest and organize the campaign.