G-7 foreign ministers have condemned the Taliban’s restrictions on Afghan women’s rights in a session held in Japan.
Hosted and chaired by Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, the session titled Afghanistan and Central Asia, was held on Monday, April 17, 2023.
According to a press release by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the G-7 foreign ministers expressed their “strong opposition to the Taliban’s restrictions on the human rights and basic freedoms of citizens in Afghanistan, including the violation of the rights of women and girls.”
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi also voiced his “serious concern” about the deterioration of human rights and the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and condemned the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s rights while emphasizing “the need to engage persistently and directly with the Taliban,” the press release reads.
The G-7 foreign ministers emphasized the need for “a united stance to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for terrorists” while calling for continuing to provide assistance to the people of Afghanistan.
There are seven industrialized countries in the world that jointly take measures on global political, economic, and security issues. These countries are Germany, France, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Canada.
Last year, the G-7 foreign ministers also expressed concern regarding the deteriorating human rights situation in Afghanistan under the Taliban’s control. They issued a joint statement, declaring that “the Taliban’s violation of women’s rights is causing Afghanistan to be isolated in the world.”
While the Taliban group has not been recognized as the legitimate government in Afghanistan, the United States of America has been sending financial aid of at least $40 million per week to Kabul, facilitated by the United Nations.
However, in response to the Taliban’s recent ban on women working with UN institutions and offices, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) suspended its activities and instructed male employees to stay at home, calling it a “terrible choice.” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the importance of women’s presence in UN missions in Afghanistan, stating that UNAMA would not resume its work without female colleagues.
