US appoints envoy to defend Afghan women's rights
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The US on Wednesday appointed an envoy to defend the rights of Afghan women, signalling a key priority as the Taliban ratchet up restrictions.
Rina Amiri, an Afghan-born US scholar and mediation expert who served at the State Department under former president Barack Obama, will take the role of special envoy for Afghan women, girls and human rights, State Secretary Antony Blinken announced.
Months after the US ended its 20-year war in Afghanistan, Blinken said that Amiri will address issues of “critical importance to me” and the rest of US President Joe Biden's administration.
“We desire a peaceful, stable and secure Afghanistan, where all Afghans can live and thrive in political, economic and social inclusivity,” Blinken said in a statement.
In a tweet, he added that Amiri brings "over two decades of expertise and specialised knowledge that will advance our vital work toward a more peaceful, stable, and secure Afghanistan for all".
The Taliban imposed strict Sharia law during their 1996-2001 regime, including banning women from working and girls from education.
Despite Taliban pledges to act differently after their August takeover, many women remain barred from returning to work and girls are largely cut off from secondary schooling.
On Sunday, the Taliban said that women would not be allowed to travel long distances without a male escort and that vehicle owners should not give rides to women unless they wear headscarves.
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Comments (65) Closed
Dec 29, 2021 09:11pm
The US should not interfere with our way of life. They should mind their own business.
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Dec 29, 2021 09:12pm
Dear US, what about the Iraqi and Afghan women whom you butchered during illogical wars in last 20 years? Appoint someone for that as well..
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Dec 29, 2021 09:14pm
How about women's rights in USA Texas law?; or Arab women's have right in his father land Israel.
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Dec 29, 2021 09:18pm
Very Good Move by US. Unfortunately no one is thinking about well being of women in Afghanistan. Not even OIC.
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Dec 29, 2021 09:21pm
When will the US learn, it can’t impose its will everywhere. Hasn’t their failed 20 year experiment taught them anything?
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Dec 29, 2021 09:26pm
People of Afghanistan should be allowed to practice their own way of life with their own cultural, social values , beliefs ,ways and norms. Their assets should be unfrozen so they can be better able to cope with the economic challenges and function as a proper government just like any other country with complete autonomy and dignity.
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Dec 29, 2021 09:26pm
Watch out Taliban and PM IK , here she comes .......
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Dec 29, 2021 09:27pm
US Making the same mistake over and over again. Appointed by US for Afghan women after having occupied it for 22 years and left a mess.
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Dec 29, 2021 09:28pm
US should listen to Pakistan from now on. Otherwise they will run into trouble again.
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Dec 29, 2021 09:34pm
Human rights look who says?
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Dec 29, 2021 09:39pm
The US is wasting time on this issue; as long as Taliban interprets their faith in their own specific way, to force women into submission, not much can change; the all-male members of the Taliban were taught how to treat women since they were six years; who can then 'educate' these Taliban to look and learn from other Muslim nations such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Turkey in treating women better.
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Dec 29, 2021 09:41pm
You rock, girl
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Dec 29, 2021 09:43pm
US could also appoint someone to make sure that Afghan men, women or children don’t die of hunger! In the whole Afghan scenario, the US is emerging as the meanest party. Not only they exploited the country for 20 years, spread corruption. Now once they want to be on their own, the US is choking them by creating all sorts of obstructions and by holding on to the Afghan money!
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Dec 29, 2021 09:45pm
A great step taken by the U.S.
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Dec 29, 2021 09:46pm
This is just a political stunt to continue interfering in the affairs of a sovereign nation. USA did not learn a lesson from its embarrassing defeat. If they truly consider themselves world leaders, they should also appoint an envoy to defend the rights of Kashmiris.
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Dec 29, 2021 09:49pm
When will she visit Kabul?
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Dec 29, 2021 09:54pm
It is a good start towards womens's rights to be restored and respected.
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Dec 29, 2021 09:58pm
Hope this Special Envoy will do what the American forces could not do in twenty years.
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Dec 29, 2021 10:08pm
Great decision by America. Amiri is a wonderful scholar. Taliban fear strong women like Amiri.
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Dec 29, 2021 10:10pm
All the big fat taliban mullahs are busy while children are eating garbage
Taking away rights of women
Those fat guy should be made to wear burka every other day of the week
Shame on them for misusing Islam
shame shame shame
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Dec 29, 2021 10:17pm
What is the value of words of the top Taliban leaders? Can they be trusted?
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Dec 29, 2021 10:35pm
@Saleem, Then do the business perfectly and fairly, nobody will interfere
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Dec 29, 2021 10:37pm
Big show again! Stop discriminating non "whites".
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Dec 29, 2021 10:48pm
the proud Afghans will stick to their culture and traditions and will never become a permissive society no matter the US may fry. the US is trying to provoke the Afghans by trying to show them the way the Afghans consider depraved.
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Dec 29, 2021 10:49pm
@Saleem, then why you guys are not thinking about Afghani women's well being?
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Dec 29, 2021 10:54pm
it is good step of US to appoint Rina Amiri, an Afghan-born US scholar and mediation expert as envoy to defend rights of women in afghanisan as she is basically afghan-origin and definitely having sound knowledge about the issues of the afghan women facing under talib rule.
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Dec 29, 2021 11:00pm
The US should stop this hypocritic slogan of women rights. People of Afghanistan are dying of hunger and starvation while they have ceased their $8 billion.
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Dec 29, 2021 11:02pm
So US will not release $$ until Taliban do follow their pledges. That is equal rights to all.
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Dec 29, 2021 11:26pm
US has a bad habit of playing global cop. Only if we know what the actual mission really is!
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Dec 29, 2021 11:41pm
@Ibrahim S, Watch out Taliban and PM IK , here she comes
And watch out Modi as well!
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Dec 29, 2021 11:48pm
Good luck Ms Amiri
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Dec 29, 2021 11:48pm
It appears as if Afghan women's rights is the only issue that America and the west are concerned with.....but there are other major issues resulting from decades of America's war that impact Afghanistan and that need to be addressed as urgently, if not more so, than women's rights.
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Dec 29, 2021 11:49pm
The world specifically US should respect sovereignty of Afghanistan.
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Dec 29, 2021 11:50pm
The world specifically US should respect the sovereignty of Afghanistan.
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Dec 29, 2021 11:53pm
Great move and excellent news.
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Dec 30, 2021 12:49am
That’s a wonderful move by the US. The Taliban fear strong women like Amiri.
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Dec 30, 2021 01:02am
@M. Saeed, ... Yeah Right !! as if the world trusts the words of Americans..
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Dec 30, 2021 01:22am
@Ali Murtaza , It is ok to loose for the right cause and continue to fight for it as well.
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Dec 30, 2021 02:24am
@Lin,
What did US do there for 20 years?
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Dec 30, 2021 02:46am
@Saleem, Yes, Salem. just give us money and don’t interfere in our lives. Spoken like a scholar.
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Dec 30, 2021 02:48am
@Lin,
please do not expect any positive nor thoughtful act from OIC. They are too busy patting themselves.
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Dec 30, 2021 02:51am
Is this going to avert famine and help all those starving families - unfreeze those assets and give them food.
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Dec 30, 2021 02:53am
Now this is a very very positive news for Afganistani females.
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Dec 30, 2021 04:02am
@Saleem, Afghan women have no rights, that is the way of life.
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Dec 30, 2021 04:07am
Another khalizad!!
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Dec 30, 2021 04:11am
@Saleem, Do you know that Talibans are begging US for the aid and recognition?
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Dec 30, 2021 04:13am
@Ba Akhlaq, When US forces were in Afghanistan, women were not living in 10th century!
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Dec 30, 2021 04:25am
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan needs to acknowledge the rights which Islam has given to women and facilitate those rights including the right to education, the right to work, the right to conduct business activities, the right to inheritance, right to free movement, right to participate in governance and the right to reject forced marriage. The Taliban should stop misusing faith to impose draconian rules.
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Dec 30, 2021 04:36am
"Rina Amiri, an Afghan-born US scholar"
That says it all that the agenda will be usa centric, regardless that cause of women in Afghanistan is restrained by the Afghan people funds being restrained by the usa.
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Dec 30, 2021 05:13am
How can Taliban tolerate a female that to of Afghani origin in this role. Gori mem is some what tolerable.
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Dec 30, 2021 05:28am
Islam gives complete freedom to women, which shariah are Talibans following?
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Dec 30, 2021 05:29am
@Saleem, It’s about Afghanistan not Punjab!
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Dec 30, 2021 05:34am
Crocodile tears. When nothing else works try this to get some hooks in.
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Dec 30, 2021 06:32am
@Lin, The first among rights is the right to security of life and security of food. Everything else comes afterwards.
Unfortunately, the above two cannot be segregated based on genders.
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Dec 30, 2021 06:48am
Wishing her safe travel and success.
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Dec 30, 2021 06:51am
women's right as important as a men's
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Dec 30, 2021 06:57am
@Saleem, everyone should interfere when you treat half the population in an inhuman way
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Dec 30, 2021 07:02am
All the discouraged commenters. Think, this could be your mom, wife, daughter, sister. Quit the control
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Dec 30, 2021 07:02am
@Lin, OIC doesn't give a *rap about the issues of any Muslim women not just afghan,it's a failed organization run by men to serve their vested interests
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Dec 30, 2021 07:38am
Which country will appoint someone to investigate the crimes committed by USA and Allirs
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Dec 30, 2021 07:40am
@Saleem, do you want the same way of life for Pakistani women?
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Dec 30, 2021 07:54am
USA has learnt nothing from its disgraceful experience of 20 years in Afghanistan, not to mention the 70 years plus of humiliation in the rest of the world.
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Dec 30, 2021 08:05am
look who is trying to show they care for Afgans who were killing the for 20years shameless americans
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Dec 30, 2021 08:11am
As a USA citizen I am embarrassed by spineless surrender by current administration in Afghanistan. Please get the US citizens and US permanent residence out first before you concentrate on Envoy Game.
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Dec 30, 2021 08:14am
Americans we need your Dollars not you advice
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