Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – Richard Bennett, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, has issued a damning report on the Taliban’s severe violations of women’s and girls’ rights, ahead of his presentation to the UN Human Rights Council on June 18.
Bennett’s report highlights an “institutionalized system of discrimination, segregation, disrespect for human dignity, and exclusion of women and girls,” calling the situation the world’s most severe women’s rights crisis.
The Taliban’s brutal regime has seen a resurgence in abusive orders, including a recent decree in March mandating stoning for women accused of “moral crimes” like extramarital sex and fleeing domestic violence. Education beyond sixth grade, employment opportunities, and freedom of movement are all prohibited for Afghan women and girls, who often describe their lives as akin to imprisonment. This oppressive environment has led to a disturbing rise in suicides among women.
Bennett’s report categorizes the Taliban’s actions as a crime against humanity, describing them as a systematic attack on Afghanistan’s civilian population. He urges global action, including recognizing gender apartheid as an international crime, supporting legal action against the Taliban for violating women’s rights, and ensuring no normalization or legitimization of the Taliban occurs without verifiable improvements in human rights conditions.
Afghan women and girls feel abandoned by the international community. Bennett’s report is a clarion call for governments worldwide to prioritize holding the Taliban accountable for their egregious human rights abuses.
