Isolation does not lead to progress
In a statement from the annual meeting in May, Solidarity Committee urges the Swedish government to prioritise the needs of the Afghan people in foreign and development policy.
Nearly five years after the Taliban movement seized power in Afghanistan, it has strengthened its grip on the country. The international community’s attempts to make the regime end its human rights violations – particularly the oppression of women and girls – through isolation and sanctions have so far failed.
The Afghan people, rather than the Taliban regime, have borne the consequences of these measures. The regime now exercises control in a way Afghanistan has never previously experienced.
Half of the population is in need of humanitarian assistance. Poverty is widespread, and access to basic public services is severely limited. The situation has been worsened by the large wave of deportations from neighbouring countries. At the same time, rising tensions in the region, as well as Israel’s and the United States’ war against Iran, are contributing to greater uncertainty and making trade more difficult.
The money sent home by Afghan migrant workers is vital to their families and to the economy as a whole, but these remittances have now declined sharply.
Ceased development aid
International development aid has largely ceased, while humanitarian assistance has been drastically reduced despite growing needs. Hundreds of maternal and child healthcare clinics have been forced to close, creating a silent tragedy for Afghan families. Traditional donor countries such as Sweden are now prioritising the return of Afghan refugees and migrants instead.
Change in Afghanistan can only come from within, and Afghan civil society has a key role to play. Despite repression, Afghan organisations are finding new ways to continue their work.
After many years of implementing extensive aid programmes itself, the Solidarity Committee for Afghanistan has adapted its operations to the new situation. Through our support for Afghan partner organisations, people are given greater opportunities to organise and meet their basic needs, including access to life-saving maternal and child healthcare.
Shared humanity
To abandon the people of Afghanistan is to deny our shared humanity. Isolation does not lead to progress, silence does not build peace and development, and closed doors do not protect rights. We therefore urge the Swedish government to:
- Promote respect for human rights through active diplomacy and help break the deadlock in relations with Afghanistan.
- Prioritise the needs of the Afghan people in foreign and development policy.
- Recognise the central role of Afghan civil society in the country’s development and in meeting the Afghan people’s basic needs.