UN Human Rights Council holds session on Afghan women issues

The 53rd regular session of the UN Human Rights Council was held in Geneva, focusing on the human rights situation of Afghan women and girls.

Although it was expected that the Council would take a more serious position against the Taliban’s inhumane actions against Afghan women, most of the participants were once again satisfied with repeated declarations and condemnation of the misogynistic practices of the Taliban group.

In the meantime, Shahrzad Akbar, the head of Afghanistan’s human rights commission, criticized the performance of the world during nearly two years of Taliban rule over Afghanistan, noting that in some cases the world stood by the Taliban instead of supporting Afghan women.

Mrs. Akbar called for the practical measures of the United Nations to support the women of Afghanistan, urging the governments of the world to be careful in how they interact with the Taliban.

She further called on world leaders to take action against normalized violation of human rights in Afghanistan and the deprivation of Afghan women from their basic rights.

Some diplomats and representatives of a number of international organizations also expressed their views in connection with Richard Bennett’s recent report on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, especially the situation of women, and supported the content of this report.

Richard Bennett, the special rapporteur of the UN Human Rights Council on Afghanistan, said in this meeting: “The situation of women and human rights in Afghanistan has worsened. Women are marginalized and critics and opponents of the Taliban’s ideology are in a difficult situation.”

He added: “This council must act, talking alone is not enough. Afghan women demand practical action and the rulings and fatwas of the Taliban against women should be canceled immediately.”

He also emphasized the formation of an inclusive government with the presence of representatives of all ethnic groups in Afghanistan and added that immediate action should be taken to reopen schools and universities for girls and women and to punish perpetrators of violence against women in Afghanistan as soon as possible.

In this report, which was made public last week, it is stated that the Taliban have issued 50 restrictive decrees against the women of this country in 21 months of rule over Afghanistan, which has caused the removal of Afghan women from the scene of social life.