KABUL: Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has warned that the Taliban’s policies towards women in Afghanistan exemplify “gender apartheid.” In an article for the International Crisis Group, Mr. Brown stated that over two million girls have been deprived of secondary education, and more than 2.13 million children of primary school age are denied education. He described the Taliban’s restrictions as part of a campaign to marginalize women from public life. Brown emphasized that the resumption of diplomatic and economic relations by some countries with the Taliban, without assurances for women’s rights, legitimizes the regime and weakens the international pressure for girls’ access to education. He asserted that respect for the rights of girls and women is not only a moral obligation but also a vital condition for Afghanistan’s economic and social future. The article was published at a time when international organizations, including the United Nations, had characterized the Taliban’s restrictions on women and girls as “systematic discrimination” and a profound violation of human rights.
