§ Mr. ToddTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he will take to raise concerns over the rights of women with the Government of Afghanistan. [38330]
§ Mr. FatchettThere is no authoritative government in Afghanistan. We have urged the Afghan factions to respect human rights, particularly those of women and girls.
At our instigation, a new EU Common Position on Afghanistan was adopted on 26 January 1998. It states that the Afghan factions should end discriminatory policies and recognise, protect and promote the equal rights and dignity of men and women, including access to education and health facilities, employment outside the home, personal security and freedom from intimidation and harassment. It also ensures that support goes only to aid programmes which actively attempt to promote the 326W equitable participation of both men and women. The EU Common Position was communicated to the Taliban and the other factions in early February.