The fight and advocacy must go on louder and more effective.
During the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meetings in September, the situation of Afghan women and girls received a significant focus. A few major events, including “Global Solidarity with Afghan Women and Girls” and “The Inclusion of Women in the Future of Afghanistan” aimed to raise awareness and rally international support for Afghan women’s rights amid increasing gender-based oppression in Afghanistan.
The events highlighted the severe regression in the human rights of Afghan women and girls since the Taliban’s return to power three years ago. Speakers highlighted the reversal in the gains of women and girls and emphasized the importance of their participation in peace and development efforts. Speakers at the events also reiterated that sustainable development in Afghanistan would not be achieved without the active involvement of women and girls.
And as the Taliban continues to fight for control of Afghanistan’s UN seat, Mr. Guterres said, “Afghanistan will never take its rightful place on the global stage without recognizing the rights of its women.” Speakers in both events stressed that women’s rights must be restored.
For a few days, the outcomes of the events were promising: they highlighted the voices of Afghan women and girls and reinforced the need for accountability and global solidarity. Importantly, it galvanized international responses against Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan and its codification as a crime against humanity under the Rome Statute.
It was also during the UNGA meeting that four countries – Canada, Australia, Germany, and the Netherlands – announced that they would file a case against Afghanistan at the International Court of Justice for violating its obligations under CEDAW. The Taliban – as the current de-facto authority – would have six months to respond. The four countries – now supported by 22 more countries – are suggesting that Afghanistan has violated its obligation and that the Taliban regime is responsible for those violations. No matter who is in power, a state is responsible for fulfilling its obligation once it signs a law.
The ICJ case under CEDAW and other developments at UNGA, signified hope and a renewed commitment to women’s human rights in Afghanistan and elsewhere. The presence of Afghan women and their emphasis on inclusion and a real push for a meaningful outcome was a crucial step in their fight for justice. It, however, must not stop there.
The United Nations has a history of failing to take human rights movements in Afghanistan seriously. This summer during the third installment of the Doha process, UN leaders met with the Taliban excluding Afghan women and civil society based on the demands of the Taliban. The Taliban only agreed to meet if human rights groups representing Afghan women and other marginalized communities in civil society were not present.
Despite this sacrifice, no substantial progress has come from the Taliban. In fact, the Taliban’s edicts have only become more extreme and the conditions are worsening for women and girls. With the recent morality law – or known as the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice – women’s voices cannot be heard and they must be covered from head to toe. Girls as young as 12 cannot attend school beyond the sixth grade. They are also prohibited from learning online – through TV and radio.
As Afghan women have been stressing all along, the fight for their equality is a hard and long road, and more concrete steps must be taken to address their oppression. Codifying Gender Apartheid and increasing humanitarian aid with a specific focus on women and girls are just two of the necessary actions. To remain silent, as Horia Mosadiq, an Afghan human rights defender, powerfully said, is to be complicit — it signifies a “soft recognition” of the Taliban’s regime.
The UN, countries guided by feminist and human rights principles, and particularly Islamic nations, must take more substantial steps to reverse the horrific human rights violations occurring in Afghanistan. These abuses must not be normalized, and the Taliban must be held accountable for exploiting Islam for personal and political gain.
