Women's lobby wants EU to take in Afghan refugees amid growing concerns over treatment of women

The Malta Women’s Lobby has called on the EU, including Malta, to provide safe corridors for Afghans fleeing the Taliban regime, prioritising women and children.

The lobby group said on Thursday that victims of gendered violence must be given priority in line with the international law on human rights and the Geneva Convention on Refugees.

"As we see the situation in Afghanistan unfold, our hearts go out to all the people of Afghanistan who have been taken over by the Taliban regime. We urge the Maltese Government and the EU Member States to offer humanitarian aid and offer refugee status to all those collectively seeking asylum," the lobby said. 

MWL said it feared especially for women and girls in Afghanistan who have the most to fear by the takeover, as they face the immediate threat of murder and violence from the Taliban.

During the Taliban's rule in the 1990s, women were banned from receiving an education and could not enter the workforce. They could not leave the house on their own and could not access healthcare administered by a man. 

Women were also required to wear the Burqa and condemned to the limited roles set out by the Taliban's interpretation of the Islamic faith.  

"Whilst in the last 20 years Afghan women have made significant advances in relation to gender equality, these are likely to be obliterated in one blow by the takeover of this regime. Women are likely to be the prime victims of this misogynistic regime. Hence, we call that they are offered more protection whilst fighting for their fundamental rights to self-determination, education, and economic independence," the lobby said. 

After the Taliban took the capital Kabul, it declared the creation of an Islamic emirate and hundreds of foreigners and Afghan citizens rushed to the airport to flee the country, the last space not controlled by the regime. 

Holding a press conference on Tuesday, the Taliban said they wanted peaceful relations with other countries and would respect women's rights within the framework of Islamic law.

The movement's main spokesman Mujahid said women would be allowed to work and study and "will be very active in society but within the framework of Islam."

However, many Afghan citizens remain unconvinced, and protests on Wednesday were met with violence by the Taliban.