The international community continues to resist the Taliban's efforts to gain recognition as the official government of Afghanistan. The chairman of the United Nations credentials committee has so far refused to meet with Abdul Hakeem Mujahid, the Taliban's designated ambassador to the U.N. Without the chairman's recommendation, it is virtually impossible that the Taliban will be granted a U.N. seat.
The Taliban is a fundamentalist Islamic group which overthrew Afghanistan's Rabbani government on September 27, 1996, and imposed an end to women's human rights there. For this reason, the Netherlands and other European countries have been reluctant to endorse the Taliban's U.N. membership. Although the U.S. has taken no official position on the matter, women's and human rights groups have pressured government officials not to recognize the Taliban.
"The American government and the United Nations must refuse to recognize the Taliban as a legitimate government in Afghanistan. How can women be safe anywhere if some governments can carry out gender apartheid with impunity? Do not think such fundamentalist terror can only happen in a far off country!" said Feminist Majority President Eleanor Smeal at a July 30 noontime picket.
Media Resources: AP Online--August 1, 1997 and Feminist Majority Press Release --July 30, 1997]
6/19/2013 House Passes 20 Week Abortion Ban - Yesterday, the House of Representatives approved a nationwide abortion ban after 20 weeks gestation in a vote of 228 to 196. . . .
6/18/2013 Supreme Court Strikes Down Proof of Citizenship Voter Requirements - On Monday, the United States Supreme Court struck down an Arizona law requiring voters to provide proof of citizenship before being allowed register to vote.
In an opinion written [PDF] by Justice Antonin Scalia, the Court ruled that the Arizona statute violated the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA, also known as the "Motor Voter Law") of 1993, which created a federal form that individuals can mail in to register to vote in federal elections. . . .
