Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan

Item 2: Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan (oral update)

Statement by Iceland on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic Countries

11 September 2023

Mr. President,

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Nordic Baltic Countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, and my own country Iceland.

We commend the Special Rapporteur for his steadfast commitment to the Afghan people and his sobering advice to the de facto authorities and the international community. 

Grim does not even begin to capture the lived realities of Afghan women and girls.

In little over two years, the Taliban have undone hard-won gender equality gains through draconian, oppressive and misogynistic directives. 

Their systematic discrimination against Afghan women and girls may amount to gender persecution, a crime against humanity.

The exclusion of half of Afghanistan’s population, from most spheres of life, severely limits the country’s economic recovery, with detrimental consequences for the entire Afghan society.

We applaud Afghan women and girls, who continue to show immense resilience and defiance. Without them, Afghanistan will never achieve peace, prosperity and stability.

What scope does the Special Rapporteur see for promoting opportunities for Afghan women and girls to make their voices heard and influence their own future?

I thank you.