Welcome to Episode 61 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast. I’m joined today by three women’s rights advocates to discuss the UN’s third round of talks about Afghanistan in Doha, Qatar. Mariam Solaimankhil is a former member of the Parliament of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Gaisu Yari is a human rights activist, writer, and speaker who has fought for freedom in Afghanistan and vocally opposed the Taliban's repressive rule there. Jason Howk is a U.S. Army veteran and the Director of Global Friends of Afghanistan.

Gaisu, Mariam, Jason and I talk about the disservice the UN has done to Afghan women, crushed under Taliban restrictions, by failing to include them in talks about the future of Afghanistan, and failing to even bring up the vast loss of human rights Afghan women have experienced since the Taliban took over the country in 2021.

We also discuss the current experiences of Afghan women, the hurdles they overcame between the prior period of Taliban rule and the fall of the country, and the hope that remains for Afghanistan when the Taliban’s time comes to an end.

About the host:

Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram or X ⁠@BWBailey85⁠.

For Afghan listeners:

If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, [email protected].