Afghan University Professor Hospitalised After His Release From Taliban Prison

The US Secretary of State also stressed that respect of women’s rights by the Taliban in Afghanistan is necessary.

The Doha meeting will be held between the UN Secretary-General and special envoys of various countries on Afghanistan on May 1 and 2.

The spokesman of the UN Secretary-General said that the purpose of the Doha meeting is to build a consensus to send a unified message to the Taliban and address the challenges in Afghanistan.

It seems that with the adoption of the UN Security Council resolution that condemned the anti-women policies and practices of the Taliban, the UN Secretary-General can hope to form the desired consensus among the UN member states regarding Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Markus Potzel, the deputy UN envoy for Afghanistan met with Abdul Salam Hanafi, Deputy Prime Minister of the Taliban in Kabul.

According to the Taliban, Potzel briefed the Taliban official on the Doha meeting and said that security, human rights, and other issues related to Afghanistan will be discussed in the upcoming meeting.

Hanafi has highlighted what the Taliban statement termed as “positive and important steps” of the group and urged the participants of the upcoming Doha meeting to take “effective and positive decisions” regarding the Taliban’s achievements in Afghanistan.

The Taliban officials have in the past emphasised that their government is inclusive and that they consider the rights of Afghan women in the "framework of Islamic Sharia".

The UNSC members called on the Taliban to swiftly reverse its policies and practices restricting women and girls’ enjoyment of their human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Except for the 15 members of the Security Council, including Russia and China, who have good relations with the Taliban, 90 other UN member countries too supported the UNSC resolution, which indicated the opposition of most governments to the policies of the Taliban.

The UNSC resolution has been drafted by the United Arab Emirates and Japan and described the ban on Afghan women’s work and education as unprecedented in the history of the United Nations.

Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, the UAE’s ambassador to the United Nations, said that this resolution has been supported by 90 countries, ranging from "Afghanistan's neighbours, Islamic countries, and other regions of the world.

“This cross-regional support makes today’s fundamental message even more significant: the world will not sit by silently as women in Afghanistan are erased from society,” Nusseibeh told the UNSC.

Robert A Wood, the United States ambassador to the UN, said that the United Nations and its member states will not remain on the sidelines when women and girls are deprived of exercising their human rights.

This is the first time that the Security Council has issued a resolution condemning the behaviour of the Taliban after the group returned to power in August 2021. China and Russia, the two members of the Security Council, have not agreed with a strong position of the UNSC against the Taliban.

However, the rights group said in a statement on Thursday that it welcomes constructive dialogue between the relevant actors and governments on the situation in Afghanistan.

According to AIHRC, the Taliban has a track record of human rights violations and currently stands against human rights values and democratic principles.

AIHRC urged the United Nations to discuss the fundamental rights of Afghan citizens including the grave situation of women and ethnic and religious minorities in the Doha meeting.

The rights group also said that representatives of national and international human rights organisations must be invited to attend the Doha meeting.

AIHRC also stressed on access of media to the Doha meeting and said that the meeting should not be held behind closed doors.

The Doha meeting between the UN Secretary-General and special envoys of various countries is scheduled to be held on May 1 and 2 in Qatar.

Earlier, Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, had said at Princeton University that in order to prevent the deterioration of the situation in Afghanistan, it is necessary to engage with the group. She had expressed hopes that the first steps of the official recognition of the Taliban would be discussed at the Doha meeting.

The statements of the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations have been met with sharp criticisms from various political groups, women, and human rights organisations.

McCaul was responding to the results of the Vienna meeting of anti-Taliban personalities which ended on Wednesday.

Earlier, on Wednesday the participants of the second Vienna meeting had asked the international community to recognise all forms of resistance of the people of Afghanistan against the Taliban.

McCaul, who is a member of the Republican Party, has paid special attention to Afghanistan's issues since his term as chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the US House of Representatives.

He has asked the US State Department to provide a detailed report on the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. McCaul stated that he will hold the Biden administration accountable for the chaotic withdrawal of the US troops from Afghanistan.

The resolution, which has been drafted by Japan and the United Arab Emirates, described the oppression and violation of the rights of Afghan women and girls as unprecedented in the history of the United Nations.

If approved, this will be the first time that the UN Security Council will condemn the discriminatory policies of the Taliban against Afghan women. China and Russia, the two permanent members of the Security Council who have good relations with the Taliban, have not yet agreed with the Security Council's strong position on the Taliban.

The draft resolution specifically calls on the Taliban to immediately lift the ban on women's work, education, and social life.

This is while the Taliban seeks recognition from the member states of the United Nations.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had said on Tuesday that Moscow will not recognise the Taliban until it fulfils its commitments.

He added that the conditions for the official recognition of the Taliban are the formation of an inclusive government with the presence of ethnic groups and political forces, as well as respect for human rights in Afghanistan.