29 October 2026
The international community must
not allow the Taliban’s regime of repression and
institutionalised discrimination in Afghanistan to be
normalised, while it is destroying the lives of many Afghans
and particularly women and girls, a UN expert warned
today.
“Five years after the Taliban seized power,
it has shown no willingness to reverse their systematic
violations of fundamental human rights. Instead, they have
continued to deepen and formalise their repression,” said
Richard Bennett, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of
human rights in Afghanistan, presenting his report
to the General Assembly today.
“The international
community must stand with the Afghan people, protect their
rights and support their future,” Bennett said.
“Engagement with the de facto authorities must not confer
legitimacy without measurable, independently verified
improvements in human rights, nor should it come at the cost
of accountability, equality or justice.”
The expert
said that recent decrees had further undermined women’s
rights, allowing violence against women, making it almost
impossible for them to leave abusive relationships and even
permitting the ‘marriage’ of children.
The Special
Rapporteur’s report highlighted ongoing arbitrary
detention, torture and other ill-treatment including sexual
violence, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings
and severe restrictions on freedom of expression and civic
space. It also noted with concern persistent discrimination
and abuse against marginalised ethnic, religious and
linguistic communities, as well as the persecution of LGBTI
people and exclusion of people with
disabilities.
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“The four arrest warrants issued by
the ICC for Taliban leaders mark an important step towards
accountability,” the Special Rapporteur said. “I urge
States to support the Court and other channels, including
the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Afghanistan and
national prosecutions under universal
jurisdiction.”
He called for accelerated progress by
States who have initiated a dispute against Afghanistan
under CEDAW and efforts to recognise gender apartheid as an
international crime.
“Accountability demands
sustained political will, international cooperation and
determined action to ensure that those responsible for
serious violations are brought to justice,” Bennett
said.
He warned of profound long-term consequences for
Afghanistan’s younger generation who face growing exposure
to gender-based violence, forced and child marriage, child
labour and radicalisation that could have future security
consequences.
“For girls, the denial of education
has serious consequences for their mental health and the
country’s development as a whole,” Bennett said.
“Despite these conditions, Afghan young people,
particularly girls and young women, continue to pursue
education and advocate for their rights.”
Addressing
the ongoing conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan,
Bennett urged both parties to fully respect international
human rights and humanitarian law. “Afghanistan and
Pakistan must take precautions to protect civilians and
ensure independent investigations and accountability for
causing civilian harm.”
The Special Rapporteur
called on the international community to sustain
humanitarian assistance and long-term support for education,
healthcare, mine-action, media and civil society, especially
women-led
initiatives.
