WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) joined a bipartisan group of female senators in a letter—led by U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.)—to President Joe Biden, urging his administration to take action in response to the Taliban’s decision to renege on a commitment to allow Afghan girls to return to secondary school. This letter follows a previous letter—led by U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa)—Senator Capito joined calling on him to do so.

“While we are not surprised that the Taliban has once again dismissed the rights of girls and young women, we are alarmed by the implications of their decision for 50 percent of the population and the future of Afghanistan. To this end, we urge you to convey clear consequences to the Taliban for their actions, and take immediate steps to bolster support for Afghan women and girls,” the senators wrote.

The senators went on to address how this latest decision by the Taliban is part of a broader assault on women’s rights and freedom. In the eight months since the Taliban overthrew the legitimate Afghan government in 2021, women have been banned from most jobs, are required to be accompanied by a male relative and are restricted in where they can travel. Most seriously, when women protest this treatment, they are arrested, beaten, and disappeared.

The senators also addressed the dire humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and called for the administration to, “…engage the women of Afghanistan as our partners in mobilizing the provision of food assistance, maternal and child health needs and education, not only for women and girls but for all Afghans. The humanitarian crisis has crippled Afghanistan and left 95 percent of Afghans hungry. In the face of such unprecedented strife, it is the Afghan women who have developed assistance networks and communal groups to support their families and communities. The U.S. and the international community must tackle any obstacles to engaging women activists and fully empower women’s groups in decision-making and programming to funnel assistance to those who need it most.”

In closing, the senators reiterated how critical it is to protect the two decades of progress on women’s rights that Afghan women fought to secure.

Their letter can be read in full here.

In addition to Senators Capito and Shaheen, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.).

Senators Capito and Shaheen are also the authors of the Women, Peace and Security Act, which was signed into law in 2017. Their legislation ensures women’s leadership roles in conflict resolution and peace negotiations. 

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