The majority of members of the United Nations Security Council have called for the repeal of all 'oppressive policies' and 'discrimination' against women and girls in Afghanistan by the Taliban government, including the ban on girls' education and women's right to work and participate freely. According to the Associated Press, more than two-thirds of the UN Security Council members, including the United States and the United Kingdom, issued a statement on Monday urging the Taliban to abandon its oppressive policies and decrees against women and girls in Afghanistan. Eleven out of the fifteen members of the Security Council condemned the Taliban's actions since taking power in Afghanistan in August 2021 and emphasized the necessity of equal participation of women in various aspects of public life and decision-making processes. Earlier, a group of UN experts, highlighting the severe oppression faced by women, especially under regimes like the Taliban, called for the criminalization of 'gender apartheid'; an initiative that Narges Mohammadi had requested the UN to consider. Narges Mohammadi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate currently imprisoned in Iran, on February 1, called on the UN Secretary-General via Instagram to criminalize gender apartheid and recognize it as 'one of the examples of crimes against humanity.' A group of British parliamentarians also announced in early December that they had begun an investigation into gender apartheid in Iran and Afghanistan. This investigation is set to explore the concept of 'gender apartheid or segregation' and how it aligns with international legal frameworks. Gender apartheid has yet to be recognized as an 'international crime,' and the statutes of the 'International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid' or the Rome Statute only cover 'gender-based persecution' as crimes against humanity. Claims from a Taliban-affiliated news agency state that girls can continue their studies at medical universities. Narges Mohammadi's initiative; a group of UN experts called for the criminalization of 'gender apartheid.' The UN Secretary-General stated that the Taliban set unacceptable conditions for attending the Doha meeting. The two-day UN meeting in Doha regarding Afghanistan was held without the presence of Taliban representatives. British parliamentarians are investigating 'gender apartheid' in Iran and Afghanistan. A Taliban official confirmed the detention of women and girls in Afghanistan under the pretext of 'improper hijab.'
Most UN Security Council Members Call for Repeal of Taliban's 'Oppressive Policies' Against Women in Afghanistan
The UN Security Council has called for the repeal of Taliban policies discriminating against women in Afghanistan, emphasizing the need for equal participation of women in public life. This comes amid ongoing international scrutiny of the Taliban's treatment of women and calls for the criminalization of gender apartheid. The situation highlights the global concern for women's rights in oppressive regimes.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The UN Security Council has called for the repeal of Taliban policies that discriminate against women and girls in Afghanistan. This includes demands for equal participation in public life and education.
- Over two-thirds of the UN Security Council members condemned the Taliban's actions since August 2021.
- Narges Mohammadi has called for the criminalization of 'gender apartheid' as a crime against humanity.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The Taliban's return to power has led to severe restrictions on women's rights, drawing widespread condemnation from the international community. Gender apartheid is a term used to describe systemic discrimination against women.
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