Activists Urge U.S. Congress to Recognize Taliban’s Gender Apartheid as a Crime Against Humanity
Three women’s rights activists from the United States have called for the recognition of the Taliban’s gender apartheid in Afghanistan as a crime against humanity.
During a special session of the U.S. Congress focused on human rights, Heather Barr, Wahida Amiri, and Mitra Mehran highlighted the dire situation faced by Afghan women and girls, emphasizing the urgent need for international accountability, Khaama Press reported yesterday.
According to the article, Heather Barr of Human Rights Watch underscored that both the UN Special Rapporteur and Afghan human rights advocates have labeled the Taliban’s treatment of women as gender apartheid. She insisted that this designation must be integrated into international legal frameworks, pointing out the alarming lack of progress from private diplomatic discussions with the Taliban.
Wahida Amiri urged Congress members to act in accordance with human dignity and international human rights conventions. She called on the U.S. government to classify the Taliban’s actions against Afghan women as crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute. Amiri stressed that her plea reflects the voices of the Afghan populace, particularly women and children, and criticized U.S. support that inadvertently bolsters the Taliban’s oppressive regime.
Mitra Mehran detailed the escalating restrictions on women and girls since the Taliban regained power, including the removal of their rights to employment, education, and healthcare. She condemned the Taliban’s crackdown on women’s rights organizations and referenced Amnesty International’s reports of detention and torture of protesting women.
The activists’ urgent call for recognition of these violations as crimes against humanity aims to galvanize the international community to take decisive action in support of Afghan women and girls, who continue to suffer under Taliban rule. Their efforts highlight the pressing need for justice and equality in Afghanistan amidst a backdrop of systemic oppression.
