The United Nations Human Rights Council has adopted Afghanistan’s national report on the state of human rights within the country.
Nasir Ahmad Andisha, Afghanistan’s permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, reported that after thorough reviews, 243 recommendations from 70 countries depicted a deteriorating human rights situation in Afghanistan. Andisha emphasized the importance of recognizing gender apartheid and conditioned any dialogue with the Taliban on their respect for human rights.
The report detailed that the Taliban have issued over 200 decrees, which have significantly restricted the fundamental freedoms of Afghans, particularly impacting women and girls. This has drawn considerable international attention, according to the Afghan mission in Geneva.
“We urge countries to officially recognize gender apartheid and support its inclusion in the draft convention on crimes against humanity, as this could be a crucial tool for prevention and legal prosecution of human rights violations,” Andisha stated.
In line with the report’s adoption, recommendations from the involved countries called for impartial and independent investigations into allegations of torture, detention, killings, and disappearances in Afghanistan.
“In the absence of an independent legal and judicial system, credible and independent investigations into human rights abuses and violations cannot be conducted,” Andisha noted. “Only through the establishment of an independent investigative mechanism by the Human Rights Council can we ensure impartial investigations and accountability for abuses and violations of international humanitarian law and international crimes.”
Additionally, women protesters in northern Afghanistan have accused the Taliban of gender, religious, and ethnic discrimination.
The human rights situation in Afghanistan has been described as deeply troubling by the United Nations Human Rights Council. This follows similar concerns expressed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about the deteriorating human rights conditions in the country.
