Women’s rights activists have called on the UN to recognize the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s rights as crimes against humanity.
The call comes ahead of a United Nations Human Rights Council meeting to discuss the situation of women and human rights in Afghanistan.
Activists told Rukhshana Media the council should pass allegations of abuse to the International Criminal Court for investigation.
Fawzia Wahdat claimed the Taliban had shown themselves to be a “terrorist group” since seizing power nearly two years ago and had instituted “gender apartheid” by forcing women and girls into what are effectively house prisons.
She said the report by UN Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan Richard Bennett on the report on the human rights situation She said
She said the Human Rights Council could have a positive effect on women’s lives by condemning the Taliban’s action, but until now had made no significant statement.
She urged it to be guided by the report of UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett on the dire human rights situation in the country.
Laila Basim, another women’s rights activist, said the Taliban had engaged n beating, torture and killing civilians and had deprived women and girls of the human right to work and education.
However, the international community had done little more than express regret in tweets.
Mina Rafiq, a women’s rights activist in Oslo, Norway told Rukhshana Media she was not hopeful the meeting woulde produce any change.
“But I support it because it shows the situation of Afghanistan and especially the women of the country to the world.”
Ms. Rafiq said the United Nations and the international community could put more pressure on the Taliban by stopping the sending of 40 million dollars’ worth of cash packages and banning Taliban members from travelling.
