Human Rights Watch has urged France to support an international initiative led by Germany and allied nations to hold the Taliban accountable for widespread human rights abuses in Afghanistan, particularly violations against women and girls.
In an open letter, the organization highlighted that the United Nations Human Rights Council has yet to take definitive action on what it called the Taliban’s “systematic violation of women’s and girls’ rights.”
“France’s feminist diplomacy is a vital aspect of the country’s international policy, but it must translate into concrete actions,” the letter stated. “The worst women’s rights crisis in the world is unfolding in Afghanistan, where the Taliban commit systematic violations against women and girls.”
According to recent reports from UN Women, Afghan women are facing unprecedented repression under the Taliban’s rule. The organization emphasized that international governments and institutions have failed to respond effectively to end these abuses, ensure accountability, or provide meaningful support for Afghan women.
“It is urgent that France and other countries join efforts to build a robust international response, including through the establishment of an international investigative mechanism,” the letter continued.
Heather Barr, associate director of the Women’s Rights Division at Human Rights Watch, added that nations supporting initiatives to hold the Taliban accountable should seek broader cooperation, including from Western and Islamic countries.
UN Women also reported that Afghan women and girls are facing severe health and psychological challenges due to restrictions that confine them largely to their homes, silencing their voices and cutting off access to education and public life. The UN agency warned that the Taliban’s policies pose a growing threat to global human rights standards.
“Women in Afghanistan are not only deprived of education but are also suffering serious health and psychological impacts,” said Masouda Kohistani, a women’s rights activist in Kabul.
In September, Germany, alongside Australia, Canada, and the Netherlands, launched an initiative to hold the Taliban accountable for rights violations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which has since received support from over 20 countries and the United Nations. Canadian Special Representative for Afghanistan David Sproule recently remarked that the Taliban have failed to engage with international calls for reform on human rights issues, underscoring the urgency for stronger global action.
