Yes, It’s Called National Unity Summit, But Women Can’t Attend

Yes, it’s a large gathering of respected nationals and tribal elders to discuss crucial issues including national unity but women are barred from attending.

The summit is being organised by the Taliban of Afghanistan’s religious scholars, and  is the first of its kind since the Taliban took over last August, but acting deputy prime minister, Abdul Salam says women can’t attend.

Ekurd Daily quotes Abdul Salam Hanafi as telling state broadcaster RTA that the gathering, the first of its kind since the Taliban took over last August, started on Thursday.

“Different people with different views are going to gather…. this will be a positive step for stability in Afghanistan and strengthening national unity,” he said.

According to him, religious leaders had asked for the gathering to address an Islamic system of government, economic and social issues.

The platform reports Afghanistan is in deep economic crisis as billions in central bank reserves have been frozen and international sanctions enforced on the banking sector after the Taliban took control have severely hampered the economy.

When asked if women would attend Hanafi said male delegates would represent women.

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“The women are our mothers, sisters, we respect them a lot, when their sons are in the gathering it means they are also involved, in a way, in the gathering,” he said.

Civil society groups have said the meeting will lack legitimacy if women are not included.

The reports likened the summit to a ‘loya jirga’, a traditional form of decision making in Afghanistan that some leaders, including former republic President Ashraf Ghani have used. Ghani in 2020 convened a loya jirga before deciding to release hundreds of Taliban prisoners to advance peace talks.

According to the report, there were no clarity as to the agenda, but about 3,000 men would be in attendance.

It was not also clear whether the issue of girls’ secondary education would be addressed, the report added.

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International governments, particularly Washington, have said the Taliban needs to change its course on women’s rights after reversing its decision to open girls’ highschools in March and requiring women to cover their faces and have a male chaperone while travelling.

Foreign states have also called for an inclusive Afghan government. Key ministerial roles are held by Taliban members in an acting basis and the group has ruled out elections.

The White House has said it is trying to find solutions for the banking sector which benefit the Afghan people and not the Taliban.

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The Taliban’s acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi flew to Doha on Wednesday for talks with U.S. representatives on the banking sector, the administration said in a statement, the Ekurd report indicated.