UN to Probe Human Rights Violations in Afghanistan

The United Nations Human Rights Council has approved a resolution to establish a permanent and independent mechanism to investigate the gravest international crimes and human rights violations committed in Afghanistan.

The decision highlights the deteriorating human rights situation in the country, with a particular focus on crimes committed against women and girls.

The resolution, introduced by Denmark on behalf of the European Union, was adopted without a vote among the 47 member states of the council.

Danish Ambassador Einar Peter Petersen noted that four years after the Taliban’s takeover by force, Afghanistan’s human rights conditions have worsened amid an escalating humanitarian crisis. He added that the Taliban have entrenched repression and dismantled civil society organizations in Afghanistan.

The newly established mechanism will focus on addressing long-standing impunity.

The text of the resolution expresses deep concern over the entrenched lack of accountability and widespread impunity for those responsible for human rights abuses in Afghanistan. It stresses that ensuring justice and accountability is both urgent and essential. The resolution condemns the Taliban’s discriminatory and oppressive system, which enforces segregation, denies human dignity, and excludes women and girls from public life.

Since 2021, Afghan women have been barred from working in many professions, travelling without a male guardian, or pursuing education beyond the age of twelve.

They are also prohibited from visiting parks and gyms, further restricting their presence in public spaces.

A spokesperson for the European Union said the resolution would facilitate future prosecutions by preserving testimonies and victim accounts.

Colombian Ambassador Gustavo Gallón stated that Afghan women and girls face systemic oppression aimed at excluding them from public life, while the entire Afghan population continues to suffer under widespread repression, hunger, and displacement.

Although the resolution passed without a vote, China distanced itself from the consensus, arguing that the text failed to recognize positive developments in Afghanistan.