Shaharzad Akbar: How should the world respond to Afghanistan's crisis?
Sep 22, 2023
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Shaharzad Akbar, an exiled Afghan human rights campaigner, discusses the Taliban's gender apartheid and the right international response. Topics include challenges faced by Afghan women, pursuing justice for crimes against women, urgent need for humanitarian assistance, and hope for return to Afghanistan.
The international community needs to provide urgent humanitarian aid to address food insecurity and poverty in Afghanistan.
There must be accountability and justice for the crimes against humanity committed by the Taliban, including oppression and discrimination against women and girls.
Deep dives
Shaharzad Agbar's Experiences in Afghanistan
Shaharzad Agbar, former chairperson of Afghanistan's independent human rights commission, discusses her experiences in Afghanistan and her recent exile due to the return of Taliban rule. Agbar, who had previously fled the country during the first iteration of Taliban rule, worked in various sectors, including NGOs and the Afghan government, promoting women's rights and human rights. Since her exile, she has set up a new Afghan human rights group called Rawadhari. Agbar highlights the brutal conditions faced by women and girls in Afghanistan, describing it as 'gender apartheid' with widespread discrimination and oppression. She emphasizes the urgent need for humanitarian aid in the country, particularly with regards to food insecurity and poverty.
Monitoring Human Rights Violations Under Taliban Rule
Agbar discusses the challenges of monitoring human rights violations in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. She highlights the risks faced by those working in human rights, including potential harm and the need for covert operations. Agbar stresses the importance of documenting and exposing the truth about the human rights situation in Afghanistan despite the limitations imposed by the Taliban. She recognizes the bravery and resilience of Afghan women who continue to resist and advocate for their rights. However, she also underlines the difficulty in providing specific advice to Afghan women and girls due to the complex and individual nature of their situations.
Accountability, Justice, and Engagement with the Taliban
Agbar discusses the importance of accountability and justice for the crimes against humanity committed by the Taliban, particularly the oppression and discrimination faced by women and girls. She supports the idea of pursuing the Taliban in international institutions like the International Criminal Court to send a message that their actions are not acceptable. Agbar acknowledges the political biases of international accountability mechanisms and advocates for comprehensive investigations that include all parties involved in past abuses, including US and British forces. While acknowledging the need for humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan, Agbar emphasizes the importance of principled engagement with the Taliban, highlighting the necessity for continued international support to protect women and girls' rights in the country.
Stephen Sackur speaks to exiled Afghan human rights campaigner Shaharzad Akbar. She is focused on the fight to end what she calls the Taliban’s gender apartheid. Given the scale of poverty and repression in Afghanistan, what is the right international response?
(Photo: Shaharzad Akbar in the Hardtalk Studio)
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