The Taliban say they will not attend a UN-sponsored conference on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, highlighting the gap between the Islamist group and the international community.

The two-day meeting, hosted by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, will open on Sunday in Doha, Qatar.

The Taliban interim government was invited for the first time along with delegates from UN member states.

But the Taliban-controlled Foreign Ministry released a statement on Saturday that expressed the group's unwillingness to attend the conference.

A senior Taliban official told NHK there is no possibility that the group will take part.

The international community has been urging the Taliban to improve human rights for women, but the group has rejected the call as interference in Afghanistan's affairs.

The Taliban have been governing the country in line with their own interpretation of Islamic law since they retook power in 2021.

The group suppresses women's rights, allowing girls to only attend elementary school.

The group is believed to be displeased because Afghan citizens, including women's rights advocates, have been invited to the conference. The United Nations is also considering appointing a new special envoy for Afghanistan.

Without the Taliban's participation, it is uncertain how the international community can help to improve the human rights situation in Afghanistan.