Statement at the 53rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council
Enhanced Interactive Dialogue with the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls and the Special Rappoteur on Afghanistan
🇦🇫🇺🇳 The international community hasn't done enough to hold the #Taliban accountable for their rights abuses.#HRC53 must increase pressure on the Taliban to reverse harsh restrictions on women & girls and expedite discussions on robust international accountability mechanism. pic.twitter.com/OGawJxPWnN
— CIVICUS (@CIVICUSalliance) June 19, 2023
Delivered by Horia Mosadiq
Thank you Mr. President,
We express our grave concern over the Working Group and Special Rapporteur’s findings of extreme and institutionalised gender-based discrimination in Afghanistan which is unparalleled anywhere in the world. The Taliban ban on Afghan women working for the UN in the country is another blatant example of its concerted efforts to crush women’s rights and we are appalled by the lack of a coordinated response from UN agencies.
CIVICUS has continued to document how the Taliban through the General Directorate for Intelligence has continued to target women human rights defenders trying to organise and mobilise against their cruel gender policies. In recent months, a number have been detained including Parisa Mobarez, Nargis Sadat, Habiba Sharifi and Waheeda Mahrami. Those speaking up on the education rights of women and girls have also been targeted such as human rights defender Matiullah Wesa.
Peaceful protesters by women activists are routinely targeted by the Taliban with beatings and excessive force to disperse rallies and incommunicado detention. Many are denied access to legal representation or their families and tortured or ill-treated while in custody.
The international community has not done enough to hold the Taliban accountable for their abuses and discriminatory policies - especially member states of the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) – and to ensure the inclusion of women activists in discussions about their future. We call on the Council to increase pressure on the Taliban to reverse their ban on women working especially for the UN and NGOs and expedite discussions toward a more robust international accountability mechanism.
We ask the Special Rapporteur, what should the Council do to adequately and promptly support women rights activists operating within the country?
We thank you.
Civic space in Afghanistan is rated as closed by the CIVICUS Monitor
