Malala Slams EU-Taliban Talks, Says Dialogue Must Start With 'Rights Of Afghan Women, Girls'
Malala Slams EU-Taliban Talks, Says Dialogue Must Start With 'Rights Of Afghan Women, Girls' Published By, Last Updated: June 24, 2026, 19:24 IST Malala said
Malala Slams EU-Taliban Talks, Says Dialogue Must Start With 'Rights Of Afghan Women, Girls' Published By, Last Updated: June 24, 2026, 19:24 IST Malala said she was “shaken and deeply disturbed” by EU’s decision to engage with Taliban, warning that it normalises a regime that has “erased women and girls from public life.” Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai. (AFP file photo) Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai has sharply criticised the European Union for hosting a Taliban delegation in Brussels for talks, saying that any dialogue with the regime must include the “rights of Afghan women and girls." In a video shared on X Tuesday, Malala said she was “shaken and deeply disturbed" by the EU’s decision to engage with Taliban officials, warning that it normalises a regime that has “erased women and girls from public life." “This is the same Taliban that banned girls from secondary schools and forced them into marriage.
The same Taliban that, earlier this month, arrested dozens of women in Herat for how they were dressed. The same Taliban that detains, beats and executes women who dare to speak out or break their rules," she said in the video. The EU has invited Taliban officials to Brussels to discuss a migration deal — and today I am shaken and deeply disturbed by this.This is the same Taliban that banned girls from secondary schools and forced them into marriage. The same Taliban that, earlier this month,… pic.twitter.com/1X3tmlTxjh — Malala Yousafzai (@Malala) June 22, 2026 The Nobel laureate further said that the Taliban’s treatment of Afghan women amounts to “gender apartheid", arguing that the regime has effectively erased women and girls from public life through its policies. “Europe must not legitimise a regime responsible for one of the worst human rights crises in the world," she added. “Any engagement with the Taliban must begin and end with the rights of Afghan women and girls." EU holds rare talks with Taliban A Taliban delegation held unprecedented talks with the European Union in Brussels on Tuesday, focusing on the return of failed asylum-seekers to Afghanistan.
The European Commission invited a five-member delegation as part of efforts to tighten migration controls and improve deportation rates, even though the EU does not formally recognise the Taliban government. The talks were attended by 15 EU member states and co-chaired by Sweden, according to the European Commission. Officials said the discussions covered the possible return of Afghans “who have committed serious crimes and who pose a security threat," as well as technical issues such as identification and travel documents. A spokesperson for the Taliban’s foreign ministry, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, said the meeting aimed to “open new avenues for positive interaction" and address the “problems of Afghans living abroad," including those facing rejected asylum claims in Europe. (With inputs from agencies) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad.
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