FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2022
CONTACT: Eva Barboni, eva@minaslist.org
Responding to the Taliban’s latest edict attacking the rights of Afghan women, Mina’s List Executive Director, Teresa Casale released the following statement:
“It is no longer enough to simply stand in solidarity or raise our voices each time the Taliban encroaches on the basic human rights of women and girls in Afghanistan. The international community must act to hold the Taliban accountable. This latest “burqa edict” is not just an escalation in the infringement upon women’s freedom of movement and choices on how to dress. It restricts every aspect of their lives and assigns responsibility for their actions to men with criminal consequences. It is a declaration of war against their basic humanity.
“If we do not act and use the remaining leverage held by the international community to push back on this decision, we will be complicit in the silencing and erasure of women and girls in Afghanistan. We have tools at our disposal - and we must use them.
“We are therefore calling on the international community and U.S. government to take the following actions:
- At the UN, oppose any renewal of the exemption to the international travel ban on Taliban leadership. The exemption was put in place to allow these individuals to participate in the “peace process”. Taliban actions over the past 8 months have shown they have no peaceful intent. Financial sanctions against leadership and the denial of any form of international recognition should also continue.
- Immediately develop a legal mechanism that creates a pathway to safety for at-risk Afghan women human rights defenders. Afghan women were largely left behind during Operation Allies Welcome and remain in desperate need of relocation.
- Increase efforts to support women’s civil society in Afghanistan so that they can maintain services for women across the country and continue to press for the restoration of women’s rights.
“The Taliban has exposed its true intentions. It has created the most egregious form of gender apartheid by giving men power over women in every setting - at work and at home, in public and in private. This is a women’s rights emergency that extends beyond Afghanistan. What we are willing to accept without consequences sends a message to the world.”
Teresa Casale is the executive director of Mina’s List. With 15 years of experience in the INGO sector, Teresa specializes in policy advocacy and has advocated to the U.S. government, the United Nations, the World Bank, and other global entities. Before becoming Executive Director, Teresa led Mina’s List’s advocacy efforts related to the promotion and protection of Afghan women and girls for two years. Teresa is a frequent contributor to The Hill and has also published in Ms. Magazine and Foreign Policy Magazine.
Mina’s List works to build just and peaceful societies by advancing women's political leadership and participation globally. They have worked in Afghanistan since 2014 on a range of programs focused on advancing women’s political participation and advocating for women’s involvement in the peace process.
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