United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his strong support for a growing international initiative calling for an end to the Taliban’s repressive policies toward women and girls in Afghanistan.
His statement followed a recent move by Germany, Australia, Canada, and the Netherlands to hold the Taliban accountable for widespread violations of women’s rights.
“What is happening in Afghanistan can be compared to some of the most egregious systems of oppression in recent history,” Guterres said in a post on X on Sunday.
He added, “I join all countries and organizations demanding that the de facto authorities remove all discriminatory restrictions against women and girls immediately.”
The initiative was announced last week on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York. Spearheaded by Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, the joint effort aims to pressure the Taliban into reversing its oppressive policies, particularly its bans on education and employment for women and girls. The initiative has garnered support from a wide range of nations, including several from the Islamic world.
A six-month ultimatum for women’s rights
The foreign ministers of the four countries have issued a six-month ultimatum, warning that if the Taliban fails to make significant improvements to women’s rights, they will escalate the matter to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. This move marks a significant step in global efforts to hold the Taliban accountable for gender discrimination—potentially the first time a regime could face legal action at the ICJ for such violations.
Possible legal action at the ICJ
Under standard ICJ procedures, the Taliban has six months to demonstrate progress in improving conditions for women and girls in Afghanistan. If no meaningful changes are made, the Netherlands could propose that the case be taken to the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Experts anticipate, however, that the Taliban is unlikely to participate in the proceedings. Should the Afghan regime refuse, the case will be referred to the ICJ.
The global push to hold the Taliban accountable reflects mounting frustration with the regime’s systematic repression of women and girls since it took power in August 2021. The Taliban has faced widespread condemnation for barring women from secondary and higher education, restricting their participation in public life, and enforcing strict gender segregation, actions which have drawn comparisons to apartheid-like systems.
Human rights organizations and activists around the world have hailed the latest efforts as a critical step toward ensuring justice for Afghan women, though the road to legal accountability may be fraught with challenges.
