Afghanistan’s Flag Displayed at OIC Women’s Empowerment Summit Amid Taliban Absence
At the ninth Women’s Empowerment Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), held in Islamabad, the national flag of Afghanistan was displayed among the flags of the 57 member countries. The summit was attended by 190 representatives, but no representatives from the Taliban administration participated.
Although none of the OIC members have recognized the Taliban administration, sources stated that the Taliban were also requested to send a female representative to the summit. However, there are no women in the Taliban’s governance structure who could take part in such programs—a situation that reflects the complete exclusion of women from decision-making roles in the country.
An examination of the participating delegations shows that women hold high-ranking government positions in many Islamic countries. At this summit, women up to the level of deputy presidents and ministers of key ministries from member countries attended.
Since the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021, extensive restrictions have been imposed on women’s education and employment, with only a small number of women currently active in limited sectors such as education and health. Afghanistan under Taliban rule remains the only country in the world that denies women access to education and employment—actions that have drawn continuous criticism from Islamic nations and international organizations.
The Taliban administration claims that its policies toward women comply with Islamic Sharia law, but none of the OIC members have endorsed this view. Over recent years, the OIC and other international bodies have repeatedly urged the Taliban to recognize the fundamental rights of Afghan women and to enable their participation in educational and social fields.
