UN Rapporteur Calls for Accountability, Improved Human Rights in Afghanistan

Two years after his appointment as the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett has urged the Taliban to uphold their international obligations, noting that accountability for ongoing abuses remains elusive.

“While my team and I have been able to document, report on, and advocate, violations continue to be perpetrated with impunity, and accountability remains elusive,” Bennett stated.

He highlighted the denial of women’s and girls’ rights, the stifling of peaceful dissent, and the use of violence to instill fear in the population.

Bennett also spoke of the severe economic hardships facing millions of Afghans, exacerbated by a paralyzed banking system and frozen financial assets. “Families are taking desperate measures to survive,” he said, noting that child marriage is being used to cover debts or buy food.

As he marked the second anniversary of his term, Bennett called on the Taliban to meet their human rights commitments and for the international community to insist on significant improvements. “Human rights should not just be on the political agenda for Afghanistan but must become the agenda itself,” he said.

Emphasizing the Afghan people’s yearning for peace and the need to embrace their diversity, Bennett concluded: “Let’s stand together in solidarity with the Afghan people. We will be judged by our actions.”