After nearly two years of Taliban control, the situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate as the international community searches for viable solutions. The Taliban’s latest edicts have effectively excised women and girls from Afghan society, barring them from schools, workplaces, and public spaces while detaining and punishing those who speak out with seeming impunity. Under these brutal conditions, Afghan women continue to fight for their rights and demand inclusion in all sectors of Afghan society. Their meaningful participation is critical in all policy discussions and consultations on the way forward.
In accordance with the 53rd Human Rights Council Session, GIWPS hosted a side event with Afghan women and experts to reflect on measures for holding the Taliban accountable for their human rights abuses and advancing women’s meaningful participation in all engagements for a more peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous Afghanistan.
Featuring:
Ambassador Michèle Taylor
U.S. Permanent Representative to the UN Human Rights Council
Rina Amiri
U.S. Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights
Richard Bennett
Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Afghanistan
Dorothy Estrada-Tanck
Chair of the UN Working Group on discrimination against women and girls
Madina Mahboobi
Human Rights Defender and Founder and Executive Director, Vision Development Organization
Fereshta Abbasi
Researcher, Asia Division, Human Rights Watch
Moderated by
Shaharzad Akbar, Executive Director, Rawadari and Former Chairperson, Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission
This event was co-hosted by the United States Mission in Geneva and the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security on the sidelines of the 53rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
