Rishi Sunak urged to challenge Afghanistan's 'gender apartheid'

A coalition of Afghan women is calling on the prime minister to organise a global summit on the struggles women and girls are facing in the country.

The group wants Rishi Sunak to raise awareness about the complex issues facing Afghanistan, and to help map out safe and legal routes for those who wish to leave it.

In a letter signed by more than 70 influential stakeholders, Action For Afghanistan told Mr Sunak: “The brave and inspiring women and girls of Afghanistan are fighting for their human rights, but they need more support.

“Afghan women and girls face draconian restrictions unlike anywhere else in the world, and it is getting worse.

“They are living under a regime that has been described as enforcing ‘gender apartheid’.

“Governments cannot allow such an egregious abuse of human rights and systemic erasure of women from every area of public life to go unchallenged.”

The letter, which was shared exclusively with Sky News, added: “We ask for the British government to show leadership and commitment and stand with us on the principles of support for women’s rights.”

The Taliban have been in control of Afghanistan since August 2021 and, since then, the country has descended into a humanitarian, displacement, and human rights crisis.

Women’s rights had made some progress since 2001, but since the Taliban takeover, this progress has mostly been lost.

Dewa Khan is one of the letter’s signatories.

The 34-year-old is disillusioned with the support provided by the British government thus far – and said that her country has largely “been forgotten” in the past year.

Ms Khan hopes to meet the prime minister to call for greater support but, meanwhile, she has been taking matters into her own hands.

Through her charity, the Dewa Trust Foundation, she organises secret underground schools for girls of secondary school age.

Since the Taliban’s takeover, most girls of secondary school age are banned from attending school.

Ms Khan recruits, pays and provides equipment to the secret teachers, who lead classes in their homes.

She said it’s her duty to help the women of her country.

Ms Khan said: “The first word was Iqra in Islam. It means ‘read’.

“So, how can a child read if you don’t allow them to go to school, get an education?

“It’s not allowed. It’s not acceptable. It’s not normal.

“Afghan women are suffering very much. Not only education. Every right, they are suffering. It’s 20 million women. We cannot forget them. We cannot leave them in the dark.”

One of Ms Khan’s secret teachers, Laila (pseudonym) welcomed the calls made by the coalition – particularly the request for more safe and legal routes designed for Afghan women and girls.

However, the feeling is bittersweet, as Laila’s situation at home is not changing anytime soon.

She told Sky News: “It’s good if there are more opportunities to come to the UK, but I won’t be joining them, because I want to teach my own country’s daughters.

“We want rights for women in Afghanistan – just like you have in the UK.”

Afghan women, the coalition told Sky News, just want the UK government to help them reclaim basic universal rights.

And – crucially – not to be forgotten.

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