Taliban deliberately deprived 1.4 million Afghan girls of schooling, United Nations agency says
PBS NewsHourAug 19
Afghanistan: Taliban Denies Entry to UN Rights Expert
Above: A woman walks past a mural calling for women's and children's rights in Afghanistan on Aug. 12, 2022 in Bamian, Afghanistan. Image copyright: Nava Jamshidi/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights for Afghanistan Richard Bennett has been barred from entering the country for allegedly spreading "propaganda" against the Taliban administration.
He reported in June that Afghan women and girls were subject to a treatment akin to "gender apartheid," noting "the systemic oppression" could amount to a crime against humanity.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The Taliban banning Bennett from visiting Afghanistan shows the regime's crackdown on human rights is ongoing. Taliban's sweeping curbs on women and girls' access to education, employment, public places, salons, and gyms highlight their gender-based persecution. The international community must insist on reversing the institutionalized and systematic repression against millions of Afghans.
Establishment-critical narrative
The Taliban views and respects women's rights according to Islamic law and Afghan customs. Bennett misrepresented the ground realities, published biased reports, exaggerated minor issues, and propagated hatred toward the Afghans to undermine the government's credibility on the global stage. The West failed the people of Afghanistan, but it will not be allowed to meddle with the country's internal matters and rattle it again.
