Heather BarrVarmennettu tili

First, Afghans desperately need peace and increasingly accept there is no path to peace but through negotiation. There used to be activists arguing against any negotiation w/the Taliban--a group that largely refused to accept women's humanity--but its rare to hear that view now.

But what does Haqqani have to say about women? Unsurprisingly he opposes pre-conditions to intra-Afghan talks--such as protecting the provision in the Afghan constitution that grants women equality. He argues for resolving everything through "consensus among Afghans."

We can imagine the gender of the people gathered at the table where Haqqani imagines this consensus being decided. After all, women have been fighting for years with little success for a voice in peace negotiations. The Afghan govt has largely blocked them--let alone the Taliban.

But Haqqani says, "we together will find a way to build an Islamic system in which all Afghans have equal rights, where the rights of women that are granted by Islam--from the right to education to the right to work--are protected." So calm down, the Taliban have changed, right?

Nope. Remember--according to the Taliban women HAD all the rights they were "granted by Islam" DURING the Taliban government. During a time when they were denied education, employment, freedom of movement, and pretty much every other kind of autonomy.

And then Haqqani says this: "We will remain committed to all international conventions as long as they are compatible with Islamic principles." That might sound reassuring if you just paid no attention at all to anything the Taliban have ever done or how they interpret Islam.

But if you've been paying attention you know it's the same problem again: the Taliban interpret Islam in a way that is immediately and obviously incompatible with international human rights law including the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.