UN Human Rights Council

60^th session – Item 2

L.9 – Introduction

Situation of Human Rights in Afghanistan

EU Introductory Statement

Mr President,

I have the honour to present, on behalf of the European Union, draft resolution L.9 entitled “Situation of Human Rights in Afghanistan”.

Four years since the Taliban takeover by force, the human rights situation has only deteriorated amidst a deepening humanitarian crisis

To quote the deputy high commissioner, “Women and girls face extreme forms of gender-based discrimination and oppression that amount to systematic gender persecution”.

Men and boys also suffer under the Taliban. Persons in vulnerable situations, including persons belonging to minorities, as well as LGBTI persons, human rights defenders and media workers, former government officials and former members of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces continue to face human rights violations and abuses, often compounded by intersectionality. Civic space has been devastated.

Mr President, 

This Council has taken cautious and incremental steps in addressing the situation in Afghanistan.

Following the Taliban takeover, it stressed “the need for transparent and prompt investigations into reports of all violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law committed by all parties to the conflict, and to hold those responsible to account”. 

In 2021, the Council created the mandate of the Special Rapporteur, which it subsequently extended and strengthened. 

The Taliban have since entrenched the repression and disengaged on human rights. They banned the Special Rapporteur from entering the country. They blatantly disregard Afghanistan’s international obligations. They drive Afghanistan to an ever-deepening human rights crisis.

This Council has a duty to react and stand in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan.

Mr President,

If adopted, draft L.9 will mandate the creation of an international investigative mechanism to address long-standing impunity in Afghanistan. 

This Council has been discussing a decisive step on accountability for Afghanistan for years. 

The creation of a mechanism is commensurate with the gravity of the situation, and operationalizes what this Council has advocated.  

Along the work of the Special Rapporteur, OHCHR and UNAMA, as well as CEDAW- and ICC- related processes, this mechanism will complete a comprehensive, multidimensional, gender-responsive and victim-centred network that applies a comprehensive approach to transitional justice and aims to bring perpetrators to justice.

We thank all delegations for their constructive participation in the negotiations, and in particular the draft’s cosponsors, which include Afghanistan.

We call upon all members of this Council to adopt this resolution by consensus and, should it be called to a vote, to vote “yes”.

I thank you.