The EU's decision to engage with the Taliban in Brussels has sparked a firestorm of criticism from Afghan and international human rights groups, who warn that normalisation talks risk legitimising the regime's draconian policies towards women. Just days ago, it was 18 months since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, unleashing a catastrophic erosion of women's rights on a scale unseen in decades.
This calculated gamble by Brussels appears to fly in the face of vows made by EU top diplomat Josep Borrell in August 2021, when he stipulated that future cooperation with any Afghan government would be contingent upon its respect for human rights – particularly those of women and girls. Since then, the Taliban has implemented an array of measures designed to systematically dismantle women's autonomy: schools have been shut to girls, child marriage has been legitimised, and women's freedom of movement severely curtailed.
A spokesperson for the European Commission attempted to downplay the significance of the talks, pointing out that they primarily centred on the return of irregular migrants – specifically those who pose a security threat. However, reports suggest the invitation to the Taliban was more expansive in scope, encompassing Afghan nationals with no right to stay in the EU. This aligns with the EU's broader push to expedite migrant removals, driven by domestic political pressures and endorsed by last week's European Parliament vote on longer detentions and offshore processing for undocumented migrants.
Human rights advocates are sounding the alarm over these developments, citing international law's prohibition on returning individuals to areas where they risk serious human rights violations or irreparable harm. UN High Commissioner Volker Türk has highlighted this principle in recent weeks, warning that international law may view the Taliban's assault on women's rights as tantamount to "gender apartheid".
The number of Afghans forcibly returned from neighbouring countries – over 1.5 million last year alone from Iran – raises concerns about the scale and severity of forced returns. UN officials in 2023 reported witnessing a litany of abuses: threats, arbitrary detention, and torture experienced by returnees. Critics argue that instead of collaborating with the Taliban on returns, EU governments should be advocating for recognition of gender apartheid as an international crime, funding essential relief efforts in Afghanistan, and supporting those who have fled to establish safe new lives.
For many, this is a classic case of short-term politics taking precedence over long-term humanitarian concerns. The EU's approach risks exacerbating the human rights crisis unfolding in Afghanistan, with potentially disastrous consequences for both Afghan civilians and European values.