LONDON — The United Kingdom has joined a coalition of countries seeking to refer Afghanistan to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over systematic violations of women’s and girls’ rights under Taliban rule.
Anneliese Dodds, the U.K. Minister for Women and Equalities, announced the decision during a parliamentary session, citing deep concerns about the deteriorating status of women’s rights in Afghanistan. “London is deeply troubled by the appalling erosion of the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan,” Dodds said. “On January 9, we formally pledged political support for the initiative to refer Afghanistan to the ICJ for violations of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.”
Dodds was responding to a question from Lisa Smart, a Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament, who urged the government to increase pressure on the Taliban. Smart criticized the regime’s exclusion of women from public life, including barring them from education and restricting their movement. “The rights of women in Afghanistan have been under systematic assault since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021,” Smart said. “What pressure are the U.K. Government putting on the Taliban to ensure that women and girls can go back to school?”
Dodds reassured Parliament of Britain’s commitment to using all possible tools to pressure the Taliban and support women’s rights globally.
By joining this initiative, the U.K. aligns itself with nations such as France, Spain, Mexico, and Chile, which have already referred Afghanistan’s human rights abuses to the ICJ. These countries have urged the court to investigate the Taliban’s systematic violations of women’s rights, including their exclusion from education, employment, and public life.
The effort follows previous threats by 24 nations to pursue legal action against the Taliban in international courts if their policies do not change.
This international initiative marks a significant step in holding the Taliban accountable for their human rights record and ensuring global attention remains focused on the plight of Afghan women and girls.
