Shahabuddin Delawar, head of the Afghan Red Crescent Society under Taliban control and one of the group’s senior negotiators in the Doha Agreement, says the agreement makes no mention of women.
Speaking to Shamshad TV in Kabul, Delawar said: “The word ‘woman’ does not appear anywhere in it, from beginning to end.” He also defended the ban on girls’ education above the sixth grade, saying the restriction would remain in place until further notice.
According to media reports, Delawar also rejected any political negotiations with the Taliban’s opponents, saying such talks would amount to recognizing them as one of the parties to the Afghan conflict. He emphasized that the Taliban had made no commitments under the Doha Agreement regarding the formation of an inclusive government or women’s rights.
These remarks come amid earlier reports of statements by Delawar during the Doha negotiations in which he reportedly spoke in favor of women’s right to education up to the doctoral level and to work. According to media reports, he was subsequently removed from his position at the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum and appointed head of the Afghan Red Crescent Society. However, these details have not been independently verified.
The Doha Agreement was signed between the United States and the Taliban on February 29, 2020. It was one of the key documents underpinning the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan.
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