51st regular session of the UN Human Rights Council
Item 2: Enhanced interactive dialogue on the on the situation of human rights of women and girls in Afghanistan
Delivered by Horia Mosadiq
On behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)
13 September 2022
Thank you, Mr. President
As we speak here today, millions of women and girls have been simply wiped out from public life. The system of forced segregation and persecution of women and girls imposed by the Taliban can only be described as gender-apartheid.
You all listened to the report of the Special Rapporteur and testimonies of the Afghanistan civil society, also it was highlighted in your speech showing the gravity of the human rights situation and I don’t want to repeat that.
While the Council remains one of the only avenues for accountability for Afghans, I want to ask , what am I going to say to my daughters, my sisters and millions of other girls and women inside Afghanistan of the outcome of this Council?
Shall I say that some countries justify the crimes Taliban commit and whitewash the serious human rights violations Taliban commit on daily bases in Afghanistan and are becoming Taliban apologists? I expected more from the people who are gathering under this chamber, particularly women!
This is the right time and the right venue to see some concrete action from the council to:
Renew the mandate of the SR and provide adequate financial, technical and political support to his office.
Establish a commission of inquiry, to investigate and hold the Taliban to accounts for committing war crimes, crimes against women and girls and systematically committing human rights violations.
I thank you
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For the PDF version of this oral statement, click here
