Mr. President,
For the past four years, the Taliban have intensified their attacks on the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan. The Taliban’s widespread and systematic assault on women’s and girls’ rights constitutes the crime against humanity of gender persecution, which UN experts have labeled “gender apartheid.” These severe restrictions have expanded to freedom of movement and expression, further curtailing women’s civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.
As the Taliban deepen their repression, the Human Rights Council urgently needs to establish an independent and comprehensive accountability mechanism – distinct yet complementary to the work of the Special Representative – with a mandate to investigate past and ongoing abuses, including Taliban crimes against women and girls.
Afghan women continue to resist the attacks on their rights, and we should stand with them in solidarity with concrete actions.
An accountability mechanism would be a vital tool in addressing the entrenched impunity at the heart of Afghanistan’s human rights crisis, advancing access to justice, truth and reparation for victims of abuses. It could also have an important deterrent effect.
As another year passes with girls denied their right to education, this Council cannot wait any longer to act. We urge the Council to establish a robust accountability mechanism this session.
Thank you.
