Afghan Women Can Sue Sheryl Benard for denying Gender Apartheid, Says Amin Ahmadi

Dr. Amin Ahmadi says Afghan women have grounds to sue Sheryl Benard, wife of Khalilzad, for denying the ongoing gender apartheid in Afghanistan.

Dr. Amin Ahmadi, a respected university professor and legal researcher, has sharply criticized Sheryl Benard, wife of former U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, for denying and justifying the gender apartheid in Afghanistan.

Dr. Ahmadi stated that Afghan women could pursue legal action against Benard for overlooking systematic discrimination against women under Taliban rule.

Benard recently published an article on the National Interest website, calling the Taliban’s ban on female education “unacceptable and lacking religious basis.” However, she rejected numerous media reports documenting the harsh repression of women in Afghanistan. After returning from a trip to Afghanistan, Benard described being warmly welcomed by the Taliban and portrayed Afghan women as still active in society, working and living normal lives.

Dr. Ahmadi, a former member of the Afghanistan’s government’s negotiation team with the Taliban, refuted Benard’s narrative, arguing that her statements could amount to complicity in crimes committed by the current regime against Afghanistan’s women. He warned that some traditional customs, such as women working in agriculture, actually serve to reinforce male dominance and Taliban control. He further emphasized that if the Taliban’s harsh “Amr bil Ma’ruf” law is fully enforced, it will devastate women’s traditional livelihoods in both urban and rural areas.

Benard dismissed the fears of Afghan refugees and advocacy groups about returning to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan as “unfounded.” She blamed the crackdown on women on a factional “Kandahar clique” within the Taliban, asserting that officials opposing the group remain silent out of fear of internal divisions. However, Dr. Ahmadi condemned the misleading distinction between “moderate” and “hardline” Taliban factions, asserting that while differences may exist, their actions towards women remain uniformly oppressive.

The ongoing repression of women in Afghanistan remains one of the gravest human rights crises in the world today. Denials and justifications like those presented by Sheryl Benard dangerously undermine international efforts to hold the Taliban accountable and provide support to Afghan women fighting for their rights. The global community must remain vigilant and increase pressure on the Taliban regime to reverse discriminatory policies and ensure women’s full access to education, employment, and social freedoms.

In this context, it is critical that international actors do not inadvertently legitimize the Taliban’s policies through misguided narratives or appeasement. Afghan women’s voices and experiences must be centered in discussions about the country’s future, ensuring that justice and equality are not sacrificed for political expediency.

Zalmay Khalilzad, as the United States’ special envoy to Afghanistan since 2001, has been a deeply polarizing figure. Critics argue that his diplomacy prioritized political deals with the Taliban over genuine peace and human rights advancements. His negotiation style, which culminated in the 2020 Doha Agreement with the Taliban, has been criticized for sidelining the Afghan government and civil society, particularly women’s representatives, undermining Afghanistan’s sovereignty and democratic progress.

Furthermore, analysts have accused Khalilzad of engaging in opaque and self-serving political maneuvers that contributed to Afghanistan’s destabilization. His close ties with various Afghan power brokers and alleged disregard for grassroots voices fueled distrust among many Afghans, casting doubt on the legitimacy of U.S. efforts in the country. These actions arguably paved the way for the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, leading to the current humanitarian and human rights crises.

Khalilzad’s tenure exemplifies the complex and often problematic role played by external powers in Afghanistan. His legacy remains controversial, marked by accusations of political expediency and failure to safeguard Afghan civilians’ rights and freedoms. As Afghanistan continues to face turmoil, a reassessment of international strategies and accountability for past mistakes is urgently needed to support a more just and stable future for the people of Afghanistan.

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