Afghanistan: Latest Taliban treatment of women and girls may be crime against humanity, say UN experts

UN experts today said the latest actions by Taliban de facto authorities targeting women and girls deepen existing flagrant violations of their human rights and freedoms that are already the most draconian globally and may amount to gender persecution, a crime against humanity. Their statement is as follows:

“In recent months, violations of women and girls’ fundamental rights and freedoms in Afghanistan, already the most severe and unacceptable in the world, have sharply increased. While girls remain excluded from secondary education, women have been further stopped from entering public places such as parks and gyms, and in at least one region young women were recently blocked from entering their university. Banning women’s access to parks also denies children the opportunity for leisure and exercise and their right to engage in play and recreational activities. Confining women to their homes is tantamount to imprisonment and is likely leading to increased levels of domestic violence and mental health challenges.