United Nations: Taliban Have Violated International Obligations Towards Women

Photo: © REUTERS / Atlantic Council

The United Nations Human Rights Office has stated in a new report that the Taliban’s actions against women in Afghanistan are in contradiction with the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, CEDAW.

The report was published on Thursday (2 April) by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and UN Women, and examines the Taliban’s actions since August 2021 from a legal perspective.

The report compares laws and directives issued by the Taliban with Afghanistan’s obligations under the CEDAW convention, stating that a range of restrictions, including the ban on girls’ education above grade six, the prohibition of women’s work in governmental and non governmental institutions, restrictions on movement and the requirement to be accompanied by a male guardian, have been directly imposed on women.

According to the report, the closure of girls’ schools has deprived them of the right to education and limited their future opportunities. It also states that the ban on women working in national, international and United Nations institutions has deprived them of access to income and economic independence.

The United Nations Human Rights Office emphasised that Afghanistan acceded to this convention in 2003 and is obligated to eliminate discrimination against women in all areas. However, the legal assessment of this body shows that the Taliban’s actions are in contradiction with these obligations.

This comes as, following the Taliban’s return to power, women and girls’ access to education, work and social participation has been severely restricted, directly affecting their lives and future.