Human Rights Watch has called on the United Nations Security Council-mandated independent assessment of the crisis in Afghanistan to give paramount importance to human rights, particularly the rights of women and girls. The assessment, led by Feridun Sinirlioğlu, a former senior Turkish government official, was requested by a Security Council resolution in March 2023, and it aims to provide “forward-looking recommendations” for a comprehensive and coordinated approach among political, humanitarian, and development actors in Afghanistan.
Since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in August 2021, they have severely curtailed the rights of women and girls, denying them education above a sixth-grade level, employment opportunities, and freedom of movement. Moreover, the Taliban’s brutal crackdown on those who protested against these abuses has further deepened the crisis.
The dire situation in Afghanistan requires urgent attention, and the independent assessment can be instrumental in guiding a more effective international response. To achieve this, Human Rights Watch emphasized the importance of hearing directly from survivors of human rights violations and ensuring that the assessment includes expert perspectives on women’s and girls’ rights. Transparency and accountability for rights abuses must be central to the assessment process.
The assessment team must engage with women’s rights defenders, minority communities, journalists, and local humanitarian organizations to gain comprehensive insights into the situation on the ground. By prioritizing women’s rights and accountability, the assessment can help bring the plight of Afghan women and girls to the forefront and provide concrete measures to hold rights violators, including the Taliban, accountable for their actions.