Four nations unite to challenge Taliban's systematic violations of women's rights

Foreign ministers from Germany, Australia, Canada, and the Netherlands accused the Taliban of committing “gross and systematic” violations of the U.N. treaty on women’s rights in Afghanistan. 

They announced plans to bring the group before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the United Nations’ highest court, in response to the Taliban's harsh and widely condemned restrictions on women, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

This announcement came during the ongoing session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, where the ministers expressed their intention to hold the Taliban accountable for its actions. The treaty in question, regarded as an international bill of rights for women, was signed in 1979 and has been ratified by most nations, including Afghanistan, which joined in 2003. Notably, the United States is among the few countries that have not ratified it.

Since regaining power in 2021, the Taliban has systematically reversed many of the rights that women had gained during the two-decade U.S. presence in Afghanistan. Last month, they released a 114-page manifesto codifying their restrictions on women, which include barring them from secondary and university education, working for aid organizations, and travelling significant distances without a male relative. Human rights organizations have labelled Afghanistan as the most restrictive country for women globally, where girls are prohibited from pursuing education beyond the sixth grade.

In response to international criticism, Taliban authorities have defended their policies, asserting that they are rooted in the Islamic teachings that govern the nation.

During their address at the U.N., the four foreign ministers condemned the Taliban's actions, emphasizing “the gross and systematic human rights violations and abuses in Afghanistan, particularly the gender-based discrimination against women and girls.” They noted that despite their repeated calls for the Taliban to comply with international law and to remove restrictions on women's rights, including the right to education, the situation has deteriorated further.

The ministers insisted that Afghanistan must be held accountable for its numerous violations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. If the case proceeds, it would mark the first time the ICJ has considered allegations of violations against this treaty, which forbids all forms of discrimination against women.

The formal complaint against the Taliban cannot be filed immediately due to the court’s procedural requirements, which necessitate a formal notification of a dispute followed by a six-month period for the parties to attempt resolution.

Despite this, Afghan women activists in Europe and North America expressed their excitement about the initiation of this process. Many have formed a Coalition for Justice, comprising over 100 expatriate Afghan women advocating for their counterparts in Afghanistan.

Activists have been lobbying European lawmakers, organizing conferences, and holding demonstrations to raise awareness and support for Afghan women.

By Tamilla Hasanova