52nd session of the Human Rights Council 

27 February 2023 – 4 April 2023

Item 2: Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan

 6 March 2023

Joint Statement with Association Meezaan Centre for Human Rights and Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ)

Delivered by Maeva Giambrone

Thank you president,

We thank the Special Rapporteur for his report.

Once again, this year, we can only deplore the new measures adopted by the Taliban regime against the rights of Afghan women. Since December 2022, women have been banned from attending universities and working for national and international NGOs. They are also banned from most jobs outside of their homes.

After their coup in 2021, the Taliban have claimed that women's rights were protected by Sharia law. However, Afghan women and girls are increasingly denied their basic rights, which could be qualified as a crime against humanity as mentioned in the report of the Special Rapporteur. They are excluded from the public and political life of the country. A real gender apartheid has been established using religion as a pretext.

We respect and support the women and girls who continue to protest, peacefully, for their rights.

Ethnic and religious minorities, especially the Hazara, are also persecuted and severely affected by Taliban policies. In 2022, attacks against minorities were reported as mentioned in the report by the Special Rapporteur.

Meezaan Centre for Human Rights and Geneva International Centre for Justice supports Afghan women in their fight. We strongly condemn the measures adopted by the Taliban and the disproportionate repression they have resorted to against these women. We denounce the numerous human rights violations committed by the Taliban. States must continue their efforts to force them to respect international law.