Press Statement of the Afghanistan Women Foundation in Protest Against Secret Meetings for the Implementation of Intelligence Policies

Following the Taliban’s takeover on August 15, 2021, despite the suffering of the Afghan people, the global community has prioritized aligning its commitments with the Doha Agreement and adopting a Taliban-friendly funding approach. This has placed Afghanistan in a deeper crisis. While the Taliban’s oppressive regime has persisted for over two years, the global response has been limited to ineffective measures under the pretext of humanitarian aid.

The latest instance of this approach was in April 2023 when the United Nations Secretary-General convened a meeting in Doha with the so-called aim of increasing engagement with Afghanistan. However, the discussions remained within a framework that ignored the root causes of Afghanistan’s crisis and focused instead on easing global restrictions on the Taliban. Consequently, the Taliban have continued their systematic oppression of the Afghan people, and any form of direct engagement with them on human rights issues has remained unfeasible.

Despite the strong resistance from human rights activists, women’s rights advocates, and civil society groups both inside and outside Afghanistan, international actors continue their covert dealings with the Taliban. The Taliban’s human rights violations, particularly against women, have not diminished. The situation has, in fact, worsened, as seen in the increased restrictions on women’s employment and movement.

In recent years, secret meetings between international stakeholders and the Taliban have taken place at various levels, particularly in European and regional capitals. These gatherings have excluded Afghan civil society and representatives of the victims. Such engagements have largely been orchestrated by intelligence agencies under the guise of political dialogue. There are two primary objectives behind these meetings:

1. To secure international recognition for the Taliban and facilitate their global legitimacy.
2. To negotiate security agreements with the Taliban, ensuring intelligence cooperation and regional stability, while disregarding the demands and aspirations of the Afghan people.

Most discussions regarding Afghanistan’s future, including those on security cooperation, are being held without the presence of civil society representatives or victims of Taliban oppression. This raises serious concerns about the true intentions of international actors. The Afghanistan Women Foundation strongly believes that resolving Afghanistan’s crisis requires an inclusive approach that prioritizes human rights and the voices of its people.

Our Demands:

1. Inclusivity in Decision-Making: The Afghanistan Women Foundation calls upon all civil, political, and social institutions, as well as academics, activists, and the Afghan diaspora, to stand united against secret negotiations that exclude the Afghan people. Any meetings that fail to represent Afghan women, victims of war, and human rights defenders are unacceptable and must be condemned.
2. Accountability of International Organizations: The United Nations and international organizations must ensure that any political dialogue with the Taliban is centered on human rights and women’s rights. The current approach, which prioritizes engagement with the Taliban over the rights of Afghan citizens, is unacceptable. The international community must take a firm stance against Taliban repression and demand accountability for their ongoing human rights violations.

The Afghanistan Women Foundation remains committed to advocating for the rights of Afghan women and ensuring that their voices are not ignored in any political discussions about Afghanistan’s future.

August 23, 2023