In the military, there’s a common saying: ‘We don’t know what we don’t know’. Essentially, if particular information is outside one’s scope of knowledge, its existence is unlikely to be known. Nevertheless, there may be a realisation that facts remain unidentified, and steps can be taken to seek out the necessary information.
Recently, a group of United Nations experts on human rights released a statement formally declaring that the series of restrictive measures the Taliban have placed on women since their takeover in August “constitute a collective punishment of women and girls, grounded on gender-based bias and harmful practices”. This statement reiterates serious concerns that countless in the international community have been voicing for many months. The situation facing all Afghans, but particularly women and girls, is horrific.
The past six months have made several facts about the situation in Afghanistan blindingly obvious, much of which hardly needs repeating here. The most significant fact however is this: 20 years of advancement in women’s fundamental rights and freedoms, including freedom of expression, freedom of movement, the right to assemble, the right to work and the right to education, vanished overnight. Many of my global military brothers and sisters were horrified and angry at the United States rapid withdrawal and its terrible execution. Other authors have discussed in detail how a minimal military presence may have avoided the complete collapse of the Afghan government. What we now see is a country with a collapsed economy experiencing a corresponding humanitarian crisis, and a terrorist organisation apparently in command.
What the future holds for the Taliban’s desire for international legitimacy remains unknown. What is known is that regardless of whether this is granted, the Taliban are firmly in charge of administering Afghanistan. This leaves the international community with two prevailing choices: continue as we have done since 15 August 2021 – withholding access to international funds, condemning the lack of human rights and pleading for the Taliban to acknowledge the humanitarian disaster that’s unfolded – or conversely, take the Taliban at their human rights word, and work with them to get Afghanistan out of the current crisis. I am not a fan of a group who brandish an archaic and extreme form of Islam to serve ideological purposes. But, attempting to correct this behaviour through withholding funds and emplacing sanctions is only punishing the people of Afghanistan. It is not having the desired effect of realigning the Taliban to the universally accepted (although bare minimum) standard of human rights essential for a legitimate government. What is required is respectful education. The Taliban don’t know what they don’t know.
Clearly, human rights and what they entail are outside the Taliban’s current world view. But what the leadership do know is that declaring the Taliban are about ensuring fundamental freedoms for the people of Afghanistan has been somewhat successful at placating external pressure. However, almost six months down the track, it’s clear that simply claiming human rights have a place in the Taliban’s government is nonsense.
Rather than admonishing the Taliban further, I suggest that the international community take steps to provide the Taliban with the knowledge they don’t presently have. It’s hard to implement change without the requisite skills and knowledge. The Taliban are not opposed to having conversations. They’re probably not opposed to learning a thing or two in those conversations either. This may be bolstered if the information and knowledge also assists to bring about the Taliban’s desired end state: international recognition. It is not to suggest that, yet again, the international community attempt to ‘fix’ Afghanistan or impose western ideals. Nor is it to suggest that we cave to the Taliban’s recognition demands. But human rights are universal: they belong to all citizens of the world, Afghans and the Taliban included.
Peace in Afghanistan is well overdue: we need to work with the Taliban. The current talks between members of the Taliban and Western officials in Oslo have vital importance in this regard. Egos, differences and agendas must be put aside for the good of the Afghan people. From a Taliban perspective, there are no doubt things that we - the international community – do not know or understand either. Our best chance therefore of ensuring certain fundamental rights, particularly those for women and girls, are upheld, lies in working together. In doing so, we all eliminate what we don’t know.
The author is an international humanitarian law and human rights law consultant. She has spent eight years in the Australian Defence Force teaching and operating in this area, as well as consulting for the International Committee of the Red Cross. She would be more than willing to share this and other knowledge.
All views expressed within are the views of the author only.
Well written Alex, hopefully some influential people are and take notice of this sage advice!