The 59th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has spotlighted the worsening human rights crisis in Afghanistan under Taliban control since August 2021. The Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, presented a comprehensive report detailing systematic violations, especially targeting women, girls, and minorities. International actors including the UK, European Union, Human Rights Watch, and other human rights organizations urged urgent global intervention to reverse Taliban policies, ensure accountability, and protect vulnerable populations.
Catastrophic Human Rights Situation in Afghanistan
Systematic Oppression of Women and Girls
The Taliban’s return to power has resulted in the institutionalization of extreme gender-based discrimination. Women and girls face severe restrictions on education, employment, freedom of movement, and expression. The Taliban’s legal system enforces these oppressive measures, effectively turning justice mechanisms into tools of repression. Survivors of gender-based violence are denied access to legal recourse, and protection mechanisms have largely been dismantled, amounting to what experts and the Special Rapporteur describe as gender persecution or gender apartheid.
Impact on Minorities and Civic Space
Ethnic and religious minorities, including the Hazara community, and LGBT+ individuals experience systemic discrimination and violence. Civic space has drastically shrunk, with media, civil society organizations, journalists, and activists facing arbitrary detention and harassment. The Taliban’s ideological governance has reshaped Afghanistan’s legal framework to enforce misogynistic and exclusionary policies, further marginalizing vulnerable groups.
Humanitarian Crisis and Refugee Concerns
Afghanistan faces a severe humanitarian crisis, with approximately 23 million people requiring aid. Over two million Afghan refugees in neighboring countries like Pakistan and Iran continue to face human rights abuses and risk forced returns. Recent travel bans by some countries, including the United States, jeopardize asylum seekers and resettlement efforts, raising concerns about adherence to international principles of non-refoulement and non-discrimination.
International Reactions and Calls for Action
United Kingdom’s Position
The UK strongly condemned the Taliban’s human rights violations and called for the reversal of inhumane restrictions. Eleanor Sanders, the UK Human Rights Ambassador, emphasized the necessity of including women and minorities in Afghanistan’s future and urged the international community to maintain pressure on the Taliban. The UK reaffirmed its commitment to humanitarian assistance in collaboration with the UN and partners.
European Union’s Stance
The EU condemned the Taliban’s systemic abuses, particularly the gender-based discrimination that may constitute crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute. The EU reiterated support for international criminal justice and called on the Taliban to align their policies with Afghanistan’s international human rights obligations. The EU also stressed the importance of protecting minorities and ending impunity for violations.
Human Rights Watch and Civil Society Demands
Human Rights Watch highlighted the severity of the crisis, calling for accountability for gender persecution and the establishment of an independent international accountability mechanism. They stressed that the existing justice system is weaponized against victims, and urgent international action is needed to prevent further abuse.
Similarly, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) echoed these concerns, demanding a UN-led independent investigative body with a comprehensive mandate to collect and preserve evidence and facilitate justice. They warned that without decisive action, Afghan women, girls, and LGBTIQ+ persons will continue to suffer widespread human rights violations.
Calls for an Independent Accountability Mechanism
There is a unified call from multiple stakeholders, including the Special Rapporteur, human rights organizations, and UN member states, for the creation of an independent international accountability mechanism. This mechanism would complement ongoing efforts by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and other judicial bodies to address impunity and ensure justice for victims of Taliban abuses.
Access to Justice: A Critical Barrier
The Special Rapporteur’s report underscores how the Taliban-controlled justice system is inaccessible and hostile to women, girls, and minorities. The legal framework enforces ideological control rather than protecting rights, creating overwhelming barriers to justice. This systemic denial of legal recourse exacerbates the human rights crisis and entrenches discrimination and violence.
Broader Implications and International Responsibility
The international community faces a pivotal moment to uphold commitments to gender equality and human rights in Afghanistan. Without coordinated pressure and accountability mechanisms, the Taliban’s oppressive policies risk becoming permanent, with devastating consequences for Afghan society’s stability and development. The UN Human Rights Council’s 59th session has thus become a critical platform for mobilizing global action to protect Afghanistan’s most vulnerable populations.
The UN Human Rights Council’s 59th session has laid bare the catastrophic human rights landscape in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. With millions affected by systemic oppression, especially women, girls, and minorities, urgent international intervention is imperative. The global community must act decisively to restore justice, uphold human rights, and ensure a future where all Afghans can live with dignity and freedom.
