News

The Advocates will speak in the Human Rights Council later this week against violations of the rights of women, minorities, and human rights defenders in Afghanistan.  

Afghan women continue to face extreme levels of violence and other rights violations. Afghanistan passed the 2009 Elimination of Violence against Women (EVAW) law, which criminalized 17 forms of violence against women. However, the law has not been consistently implemented in the country, and, after the 2021 takeover by the Taliban, the de-facto authorities have dismantled the networks of protections for victim-survivors of gender-based violence. Additionally, there have been reports of systemic forced displacement targeting ethnic and religious minorities and threats and killings of human rights defenders. 

We invite you to read The Advocates’ full stakeholder report for the Universal Periodic Review recounting the human rights violations, such as gender-based violence, attacks on human rights defenders and political rights, and the targeting of minorities, occurring in Afghanistan.  

This UPR cycle, Afghanistan received over 100 recommendations made by various States on these issues, including:  

• Ensure that civilians have full and unrestricted access to humanitarian aid. 

• End all violations of rights of women and ensure women enjoy their rights to freedom and equality. 

• Repeal the policies and practices that restrict human rights and fundamental freedoms of women. 

• Reopen schools and universities of all levels for women and girls. 
  
  

The Advocates stands with the people of Afghanistan. The Advocates deeply encourages everyone to recognize and push for the Afghan people’s access to fundamental human rights and freedoms.  

This report would not have been possible without the Afghan diaspora in Minnesota. If you would like to know more about our Afghan Legal Clinic or need its services, please see here.