INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
International envoys raised concerns about restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan during meetings with the Islamic Emirate in Qatar,
United Nations& political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo said on Monday.&Running through all the discussions was the deep international
concern & from special envoys and from me & about the ongoing and serious restrictions on women and girls,& DiCarlo said in a
statement.&Afghanistan cannot return to the international fold, or fully develop economically and socially, if it is deprived of the
contributions and potential of half its population,& she added.The two-day, U.N.-led meeting was the first of its kind attended by the
IEA.Meanwhile, US State Department said US envoys participated in the meeting after receiving assurances from the UN that the discussion
would meaningfully address human rights, particularly the plight of women and girls, and that there would be opportunities for engagement
with Afghan women and civil society.US State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said that US envoy Thomas West made clear that the primary
reason private banks have reservations about doing more business in Afghanistan is reputational, and that it is rooted in the IEA&s human
rights conduct.&We know that the Taliban (IEA) often complains about sanctions, but given the broad general license issued by the Treasury
Department, relief organizations as well as businesses have the leeway they need to support the Afghan people,& he said.Russian envoy to UN,
Vasily Nebenzya, reiterated that the world should recognize the fact that IEA is running Afghanistan.&Taliban is de facto authorities on
Afghanistan, and we&ve been saying consistently that you have to recognize this fact and deal with them as such
Because whether you like it or not, but this movement is running the country now
And you cannot simply ignore that,& he said.Envoys have raised concern about women&s rights in Afghanistan, despite IEA saying it is an
internal issue.IEA&s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid who led the delegation in Doha, says that women&s rights issue will be resolved with
time. Related stories:UN keeps identity of Afghan activists at Doha meeting under wrapsMujahid sums up Doha meeting, says most countries
willing to cooperate with AfghanistanThe post Envoys voice concern over curbs on Afghan women at talks with IEA in Doha: UN first appeared
