Harriet Harman: Afghan Women Have Not Surrendered and the UK Stands with Them

Photo: HarrietHarman/X

Harriet Harman, the United Kingdom’s Special Envoy for Women and Girls, has said that Afghan women have not surrendered despite the Taliban’s repression and restrictions, and that the UK remains firmly committed to defending their rights.

In a message posted on Wednesday (October 22), accompanied by a photo from her previous meeting with Afghan women activists, Harman wrote: “The message from Afghan women is clear: they have not given up – and neither will we. The UK stands firm in demanding their rights, amplifying their voices.”

In the photo she shared, several Afghan women activists are seen alongside Harman and Richard Lindsay, the UK’s Special Representative for Afghanistan.

Earlier, on 10 October, Richard Lindsay had posted the same photo from the meeting, describing it as “a constructive and important discussion.” He said that Afghan women leaders shared their views on how to support women’s rights, leadership, and participation in Afghanistan’s future.

These statements come as Afghan women remain deprived of education, employment, and social participation under Taliban rule. Despite repeated calls from the international community to restore women’s fundamental rights, the Taliban have so far taken no action in this regard.