GENEVA — Richard Bennett, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, has called for accountability for past and ongoing human rights violations in the country, warning that the Taliban should not be recognized or legitimized unless measurable improvements in human rights are made.
“Until there is clear and measurable progress in the human rights situation, the Taliban should not be recognized as Afghanistan’s government or normalized,” Bennett said in a video statement.
He stressed that Afghanistan remains in the grip of a severe human rights and humanitarian crisis, with more than half of the population in dire need of assistance.
Bennett’s latest reports highlight entrenched gender-based persecution in Afghanistan, warning that its effects will have long-term, devastating consequences for future generations.
He also pointed to the Taliban’s so-called ‘morality laws,’ saying they systematically oppress women and girls, as well as men, religious and ethnic minorities, civil society, and the media.
“No one is safe from these laws,” he said.
Bennett urged donor countries to maintain humanitarian support, emphasizing that the most vulnerable Afghans are bearing the brunt of the crisis.
“Now is not the time to cut aid,” he said. “The poorest Afghans are the ones who are suffering the most.”
Bennett’s remarks come just days before the start of Afghanistan’s new academic year, as the Taliban continue to ban girls above sixth grade from attending school for a fourth consecutive year. Not only has the Taliban failed to reverse its policies, but it has further tightened restrictions on female education and employment.
Bennett concluded that Afghanistan’s path to lasting peace and stability depends on upholding human rights and ensuring that no one is left behind.
