Fatima Gailani (second right) speaking during the panel session on ‘Education in Afghanistan Systemic Challenges.’
More than two years after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, with no formal recognition from any country, engagement with the Taliban remains the right way to go, the former head of the Afghan Red Crescent Society has stressed.
Fatima Gailani, a prominent member of the peace negotiators and one of only four women in the 21-member team for the Doha Peace talks, has urged that keeping the line open and engaging with the Taliban remain the key to solving widespread issues in the strife-hit country.
Speaking to The Peninsula on the sidelines of the ‘Afghanistan Regional Symposium: Confronting the Impasse’ organised by Georgetown University Qatar (GU-Q), Gailani said previous discussions have yielded some results.
Dean of GU-Q Dr. Safwan Masri delivers his opening address during the symposium.
“From outside, Afghanistan is seeing what impact engagement has had on the behaviour of the Taliban. Over and over again, we will insist on things that we know from the Islamic point of view on what is important,” Gailani said.
“Moreover, there are millions of women in Afghanistan that if an imam from Mecca or Medina or a huge personality or a delegation from Al Aqsa or Ulama from Qatar and Turkiye – when they visit and hold conversations with the Taliban, millions of women in Afghanistan know that they are not left alone in their struggles. The impact of these engagements is profound because, if you talk with the ministers of Taliban now compared to two years ago, it’s a totally different point of education view,” she added.
Last year, the Taliban banned education for girls beyond the sixth grade, and the United Nations (UN) children’s agency recently disclosed that over one million girls are affected by the ban. However, estimates put five million already out of school before the Taliban takeover due to a lack of facilities and other reasons.
Women and girls have also been excluded from public spaces like parks and most jobs. The ban has triggered global condemnation, with many Muslim countries calling the move un-Islamic.
Gailani stressed that the Muslim world has a responsibility to talk to the Taliban and find a solution to the problem. According to Gailani, it is imperative to keep the engagement going because, as Muslims, education is not just a right; it is a duty.
“It is my duty as a Muslim woman to be educated and to work. There is also a contradiction from the people outside Afghanistan. There are many institutions where women are allowed to work and study. Moraa University has a capacity of 10,000 students and only 80 students presently. What is the excuse?” Gailani stressed.
Meanwhile, the one-day symposium brought together leading experts, scholars, and policymakers to share deep insights on the fundamental challenges facing Afghanistan and the rest of the world since the Taliban regained government control in 2021. Discussions advanced valuable analysis on solutions that can support the social and economic aspirations of the Afghan people.
In his remarks, the dean of GU-Q, Dr. Safwan Masri, said, “The people of Afghanistan face an oncoming humanitarian and economic crisis that is more urgent than ever. “While international support for humanitarian aid is essential, it alone cannot fully address the underlying causes of Afghanistan’s deteriorating situation, including the nation’s political strife, ongoing conflicts, and the intervention of external factors and actors.”
“Having this particular conversation in Doha is especially important given the mediation role that Qatar has played in Afghanistan. There is a moral and pragmatic demand for the international community to assume responsibility for the country’s recovery,” he added.
Also, a panel session including Gailani, Suleiman bin Shah, founder and CEO of the Kabul-based Catalysts.Af, Ambassador Melanne Verveer, Director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, and Hammed Hakimi from the Atlantic Council analysed how engagement can help women access available education pathways, safeguard their fundamental rights, and the need for transformative education.
Other sessions covered “Reporting from Conflict Zones: Media Resilience in Afghanistan,” “Afghanistan Imagined by Afghans,” and “Climate Change and Natural Resource Governance.”
