GICJ Oral Statement with Association Ma’onah for Human Rights and Immigration and Geneva International Centre for Justice

By Anyssa Boyer / GICJ

On the 1st of July, Anyssa Boyer delivered her statement at the Urgent Debate on Human Rights of women and girls in Afghanistan. Her statement aimed to draw attention on the structural violence Afghan women and girls are continuously exposed to. Since the Taliban coup in 2021, the situation is deteriorating by the day. Survivors centres have been forced to decrease their operating capacities despite the fact that child trafficking, forced marriage, and sexual exploitation are a daily threat. Remaining service providers are consistently targeted and at risk for supporting women and girls’ fundamental rights. On 3rd of December 2021, the de facto Taliban Government announced a “Special Decree on Women’s Rights,” recognising women as “noble and free human beings.” The Decree affirms that women and widows should not be forced into marriage and are entitled to a share of their husband’s property. These commitments are not being met.

Ma'onah and Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ) stand with Afghan women and girls. We highly condemn the systematic human rights violations and urge the Government to enforce the Law on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and the 2018 Security Council resolution 2405.