During the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review in Geneva, Nasir Ahmad Andisha, Afghanistan’s representative at UN’s Geneva office, urged countries to engage with the Taliban conditionally, emphasizing human rights violations under the group’s rule.
He highlighted the Taliban’s ongoing violations of human rights, including arbitrary arrests and gender-based discrimination. He called on the international community to hold the Taliban accountable, suggesting the use of international legal mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court, to address these abuses.
Andisha warned that while some recommendations from member states appear aimed at facilitating dialogue with the Taliban, they must not be seen as legitimizing the group’s de facto authority. “We must make clear that these recommendations do not imply support for normalization but are instead focused on engagement that is conditional upon respect for human rights,” he stated.
Several nations, including the United Kingdom and Indonesia, echoed the call for the restoration of women’s rights in Afghanistan, urging the Taliban to lift restrictions on women and girls. The UK’s envoy condemned the Taliban’s so-called Vice and Virtue laws, which have further curtailed women’s freedoms. “These laws deal yet another blow to the rights of Afghan women,” the UK representative said. “The sound of a woman’s voice is now considered a moral violation, their faces are banned in public, and they are forbidden from making eye contact with men to whom they are not related.”
The Indonesian representative similarly called for an end to policies that bar women from education and employment, urging the Taliban to ensure a more inclusive governance system. “Restore women’s rights to employment and meaningful participation in both public and private sectors,” the envoy said.
Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of UN Watch, voiced frustration over the UN’s handling of the situation, criticizing the lack of action regarding Taliban crimes. “Last month, the Taliban declared a ban on women’s voices and faces. What is this council doing to help Afghan women? Why is there no agenda item on Taliban crimes?” Neuer asked.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) also raised concerns over the ongoing ban on girls attending school beyond grade six, which has left more than 1.5 million girls out of school for three years.
Meanwhile, Germany, Australia, Canada, and the Netherlands have issued a joint statement threatening to hold the Taliban accountable at the International Criminal Court for its violations of women’s and girls’ rights.
