Delhi, Oct 13: Women journalists were finally allowed to participate in a press briefing with Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Sunday in Delhi, following widespread criticism of their exclusion from his first conference earlier this week.
The first press event, held without any women reporters, sparked outrage across India. Opposition leaders called it “unacceptable” and “an insult to women,” while press organizations condemned the move. The Ministry of External Affairs clarified it was not involved in arranging the initial briefing.
During Sunday’s session, Muttaqi faced pointed questions about the absence of women in the earlier conference. He described the exclusion as “unintentional” and attributed it to logistical constraints. “The press conference was organised on short notice. A small list of journalists was finalised. There was no intention to exclude women,” he said, though some attendees remained skeptical of his explanation.
The briefing highlighted the ongoing struggles of Afghan women under Taliban rule since 2021. Restrictions include bans on girls attending secondary schools and universities, limitations on women working in several sectors, and severe controls over daily activities. Human rights organizations have reported extreme cases of gender-based abuse in Taliban detention centers.
Women journalists at the briefing challenged Muttaqi on these restrictions and the repeated criticism by the United Nations, which in 2023 labelled Afghanistan as the “world’s most repressive country for women.” The session underscored the importance of giving women a platform to hold leaders accountable, even amidst challenging geopolitical contexts.