Women | Former Afghan MP Baktash Siawash told the European Parliament's petitions committee that the EU should recognize gender apartheid in Afghanistan

ACW | November 5, 2026 — Former Afghan MP Baktash Siawash urged the European Union on Thursday to recognize gender apartheid in Afghanistan, telling the European Parliament's petitions committee that Europe had left Afghan women alone, Amu TV reported.

"These double standards are no longer acceptable," Siawash said, according to Amu TV. He said Europe "has left women in Afghanistan to fight gender apartheid alone."

He set out three demands: formal recognition of gender apartheid and support for accountability, an end to normalizing engagement with the Taliban, and designation of the Taliban as a terrorist organization under the EU framework.

Siawash asked the committee to keep Petition No. 0778/2026 under active consideration, Amu TV reported. "We do not need more words of sympathy, condolences and concern," he said. "We need political courage, and we need a clear choice."

Afghanistan International reported that he criticized countries' double standards toward Afghanistan, especially on women, and said the EU must decide whether it stands with the Afghan people or with the Taliban.

No committee decision on the petition appeared in published reports. No Taliban response appeared in those reports either.

Background: KabulNow reported on May 5, 2026, that the European Parliament had registered Siawash's petition, backed by thousands of signatures, and referred it to the Committee on Petitions. On October 31, the secretariat of the Parliament's delegation for relations with Afghanistan wrote to Siawash that it would help advance recognition of gender apartheid in the Parliament and that follow-up work on a new crimes against humanity convention was ongoing, according to Afghanistan International. Earlier, France's foreign minister met Afghan women and pledged continued support.

Why it matters: European Commission Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen told the European Parliament that the EU has not recognized the Taliban and that any change in relations depends on significant progress on human rights and women's rights, Afghanistan International reported on November 5.

ACW will continue to follow this story.

Sources: Amu TV — Siawash: Europe has left Afghan women to fight gender apartheid alone; Afghanistan International — Siawash at the European Parliament; Afghanistan International — Henna Virkkunen's remarks; KabulNow — background on the petition (May 5, 2026)

Photo: Amu TV