Media bodies condemn ‘exclusion’ of women journalists in Afghan Minister’s press conference

Media outlets on Saturday condemned the “exclusion” of women journalists at a press conference held by Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi at the Afghan Embassy here.

The Editors Guild of India and the Indian Women’s Press Corps (IWPC), citing diplomatic privilege under the Vienna Convention, termed this action highly discriminatory and cannot be justified.

“Diplomatic facilities may claim protection under the Vienna Convention, but this cannot justify blatant gender discrimination in access to the press on Indian territory,” the guild said in a statement.

“Whether or not the MEA coordinated the incident, it is deeply troubling that such discriminatory exclusion is allowed to continue unchallenged,” the guild said.

IWPC has urged the Government of India to discuss this issue with the Afghan Embassy to ensure that gender-based exclusion does not occur in media briefings in the future.

The Opposition on Saturday called the absence of women journalists at Mr Muttaqi’s press conference “unacceptable” and an “insult to women” and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clarify his stance on the issue.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said if the Prime Minister’s recognition of women’s rights was not just a matter of taking a favorable stance from one election to the next, it was “how our country has allowed to insult some of India’s most empowered women”.

The party said it was shocking and unacceptable that the Government of India had agreed to “ban women journalists” from the press in Delhi.

On Friday, Mr Muttaqi did not answer a direct question about the situation of women in Afghanistan but said each country had its own traditions, laws and principles and these should be respected. He claimed that the overall situation in Afghanistan has improved significantly since the Taliban came to power in August 2021.

Mr. Muttaqi pointed out that before the Taliban began ruling the country, approximately 200 to 400 people died every day in Afghanistan. “There has not been such a loss in these 4 years. Laws are in force and everyone has their rights. Those who make propaganda are making mistakes,” he said.

“Every country has its own customs, traditions, laws and principles and works according to them. It is not right to deny people their rights. If people are not satisfied with the system and laws, why did peace come?” he asked.