GENEVA (Kubha News) – Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, presented his findings at the 56th session of the Human Rights Council, highlighting signs of crimes against humanity in the Taliban’s treatment of women.
In his report titled “Systematic Discrimination, Segregation, Disrespect for Human Dignity, and the Exclusion of Women and Girls,” Bennett detailed the severe impact of the Taliban’s policies on the lives of Afghan women and girls. He stated, “The Taliban’s institutionalisation of its system of oppression of women and girls, and the harms that it is continuing to entrench, should shock the conscience of humanity. These violations are so severe and extensive that they appear to form a widespread and systematic attack on a civilian population which may amount to crimes against humanity. This attack is not only ongoing, it is intensifying.”
Although the Taliban has prevented Bennett from visiting Afghanistan and assessing the human rights situation firsthand for the past year, he used his speech at the Human Rights Council to urge the Taliban to stop the systematic oppression of women and girls. Bennett called on the international community, especially influential countries and the UN Security Council, to use all available tools to prevent the escalation of the Taliban’s repressive measures against Afghans, particularly women and girls.
Despite ongoing debates among UN legal experts about the definition and recognition of “gender apartheid,” Bennett urged member states to officially recognize gender apartheid against women. During Tuesday’s Human Rights Council session, both the UN rapporteur and women representing Afghan women demanded the inclusion of women’s and civil society representatives in the upcoming Doha meeting.