New York, 5 October 2023 (TDI): The United Arab Emirates (UAE) delivered a joint statement at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.
The statement was on behalf of 80 co-sponsors including countries like Australia, Japan, and the European Union (EU).
It was a strong condemnation of the Taliban’s oppressive edicts, asserting that these actions blatantly contradict both Islamic values and universal human rights.
The joint statement issued by these nations called upon the Taliban to take immediate and decisive action to reverse these oppressive edicts, which severely infringe upon the human rights and freedoms of Afghan women and girls.
It emphasized that the contributions of women are indispensable for the social and economic progress of Afghan society.
Also read: UN Rights Chief warns of dire Women Rights Crisis in Afghanistan
Expressing profound concern, the co-sponsors labeled the Taliban’s edicts as among the most severe and systematic forms of discrimination and oppression against women and girls globally.
These edicts have stripped them of fundamental human rights and freedoms, including access to education, employment, and meaningful participation in public life. As a result, women are losing their livelihoods & girls are having their futures jeopardized.
Additionally, there were concerns raised that the extreme restrictions imposed on the human rights of women and girls in Afghanistan could amount to gender persecution, which is a matter of international concern.
The Taliban received a resounding call to immediately reverse its policies, practices, decrees, and other pronouncements that undermine women’s and girls’ rights as well as their freedoms.
Also read: International Representatives meet in Kazan to address Afghanistan’s challenges
These actions were deemed incompatible with the principles of proportionality and non-discrimination.
The joint statement underscored that these arbitrary decisions and edicts exacerbate the risk of gender-based violence and further worsen the already dire economic crisis in Afghanistan.
The restrictions also place an enormous strain on the healthcare system, denying women and girls access to essential health services, including mental and prenatal healthcare.
The co-sponsors urgently called upon the Taliban to uphold, protect, and fulfill the human rights of women and girls, as outlined in international agreements such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Afghanistan is a party.
They reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to safeguarding human rights and upholding the principles of religion or belief, firmly standing for the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.
This collective message from 80 co-sponsors at the UNGA serves as a global call to ensure that the rights and freedoms of Afghan women and girls are respected and protected.
