BRUSSELS – The European Parliament organised a two-day conference and a series of activities to address the status of women and children in Afghanistan after the Taliban took power in August.

According to sources, a number of notable Afghan women, EU MPs, and officials from international organisations attended the meeting, which began on Monday and finished on Wednesday. The attendees in Tuesday's summit urged the international community to support Afghanistan's women and girls.

"The European Union has characterised respect for human rights, in particular women's rights, the rule of law, and media freedom as important prerequisites for engagement with the current Afghan government," said EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola at the conference. Angelina Jolie, an actress and UNHCR special envoy, said Afghan women have endured a lot over the years, but they have never given up hope for their nation. She urged the Islamic Emirate to reopen girls' schools.

"I demand that Afghanistan's de facto rulers reopen all schools. To allow the females to retake the tests they missed the previous year. To free Tamana Paryani and Parwana Ibrahimkhil, as well as the other women detained. Also, to let women to fully and openly engage in labour, politics, and society." Afghanistan is a collective failure of the international community, the Afghan government, and the Afghan people, according to Sima Samar, the former head of Afghanistan's Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC).

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