US special envoy for Afghan women, Rina Amiri, emphasised that the Taliban’s restrictive decrees on women and girls in Afghanistan are costing the nation more than USD 1 billion annually, reported Khaama Press.

She further said that the detrimental impact of the Taliban’s edicts is not only curtailing women’s access to education and employment but also exacerbating Afghanistan’s dependency on foreign aid.

She highlighted the urgent need to reverse these policies to foster economic growth and alleviate poverty in the country, Khaama Press reported.

Amiri shared a post on X, stating, “The edicts prohibiting Afghan women & girls’ education & employment are hurting all Afghans. To lift Afghanistan out of aid dependency & poverty, these policies must be reversed.”

Afghanistan is losing more than $1B annually due to the Taliban’s extreme decrees against women & girls. The edicts prohibiting Afghan women & girls’ educ. & employment are hurting all Afghans. To lift Afghanistan out of aid dependency & poverty, these policies must be reversed. https://t.co/WxJQIfyLDA

— U.S. Special Envoy Rina Amiri (@SE_AfghanWGH) March 9, 2024

Responding to Amiri’s assertions, the Taliban spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, defended the Taliban’s record on women’s issues.

He said that the Taliban has facilitated job opportunities for women in recent years and contributed to the improvement of Afghanistan’s economy, according to Khaama Press.

However, reports from various sources have indicated a significant regression in women’s rights under Taliban rule, particularly in education and employment.

Moreover, many Afghan people also fear a return to the repressive policies that characterized the Taliban’s previous rule in the 1990s.

The international community faces a complex dilemma in engaging with the Taliban-led government, balancing concerns for human rights, particularly women’s rights, with the imperative to address Afghanistan’s pressing humanitarian needs.

The situation also underscores the challenges of promoting gender equality amid political instability and conflicting priorities, Khaama Press reported.

Afghanistan is already grappling with a dire humanitarian crisis exacerbated by political turmoil and economic instability, however, the suppression of women’s rights by the Taliban emerges as a critical issue.