When women’s rights are discretionary
Fifa purports to uphold human rights. Its decision, in 2010, to award the hosting duties for the 2022 tournament to Qatar was not, however, without controversy.
Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said that the Taliban have not fulfilled their commitments on various issues like the education of girls, women’s rights, as well as a decision on the national flag, since they took over the country late last month.
A Khaama News report on Sunday quoted the former leader as saying in a recent interview that during his interactions with the Taliban, he focused mainly on three things — girls’ education, women’s prestige in the Afghan society, and an all-inclusive government.
“Education of girls is extremely important,” he said at his house in Kabul, now guarded by the Taliban. “There is no other way. This will not be a country which stands on its own feet without education, especially for girls.”
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He added that the people of Afghanistan “need a government in which they can live without intimidation, fear, have good relations with the world, works for development, and let people live in joy”.
“We need a cabinet that represents the entire Afghanistan, women, and people from all ethnicities are seen in that, but what the Taliban has declared does not meet the definition,” Karzai said.
The former President further said that people are still afraid about the future of their daughters as the so-called monopolized cabinet has increased concerns among the Afghan citizens.
Karzai, who was President from December 2001 to September 2014, has remained in Kabul following the collapse of the Afghan capital to the Taliban on August 15.
The Ministry of Education of Afghanistan, led by the Taliban directed all secondary schools to resume from September 18, however, the directive only mentions the male students, making no reference to a return date for girls. This is contrary to promises made by outfit after assuming power in Kabul last month.
According to media reports, women are being barred from going to work, and scores of them have demonstrated to demand their rights to employment and education.
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