Angelina Jolie wants Afghan women to have a key role in peace talks

NEW YORK: Angelina Jolie has called for women to have a central role in the ongoing Afghanistan peace talks, saying that their exclusion would hamper any chance of lasting stability.

In an opinion column published in TIME magazine, Jolie said that women negotiators must be included in “significant” numbers in talks with the Taliban. She emphasised that women should have leadership roles in the development of the economy.

“There won’t be stability if a peace agreement ushers in a new era of injustice and oppression of women,” Jolie wrote. The Oscar-winning star is a UN special envoy for refugees. Last month, she addressed the international body at its New York headquarters and called on diplomats to ensure women are included in the Afghan talks.

The US has held several rounds of talks with the Taliban in a bid to bring an end to the war against the insurgents that started in late 2001. Afghan politicians also have met with the Taliban in Moscow. The talks to date have faced fierce criticism for their lack of female participation.