The US speaks with the Taliban regime to ask it not to continue cutting women's rights

MADRID, 22 May. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Representatives of the United States Government have contacted the Taliban regime to express their concern about the decline in women's rights, coinciding with the entry into force of the order that obliges television presenters to cover their faces.

The United States special representative for Afghanistan, Thomas West, and the envoy for women's affairs, Rina Amiri, have spoken with the Taliban foreign minister, Amir Jan Muttaqi, to express their concerns personally.

Thus, they have reminded him of international unity on the "current and growing restrictions on the rights of women and girls and their role in society", increasingly diminished since the Taliban seized power in August 2021.

"Girls must return to class, women must have freedom of movement and work," explained West, who has linked any minimal normalization of relations to progress in this area.

Along the same lines, Amiri stressed on Twitter that "the restoration of the rights of women and girls and the protection of vulnerable populations are essential for there to be any progress with the Taliban."

The Taliban Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice announced on Saturday that the order by which Afghan journalists must cover their faces when appearing on television would come into force this Sunday.

"The decision is final and there is no room for discussion on this issue," a spokesman for the Ministry told the Tolo TV network.