A coalition of Afghan women’s networks, human rights defenders, and civil society organisations in exile has submitted this letter to the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination of the Council of Europe, expressing deep concern over the deteriorating human rights situation in Afghanistan.
Four years after the Taliban’s return to power, Afghanistan continues to face one of the most severe human rights, humanitarian, and security crises in its modern history. Women and girls have been systematically excluded from education, employment, and public life; ethnic and religious minorities face discrimination and forced displacement; and Afghan refugees are at serious risk of forced return in neighbouring countries.
The letter highlights that the current situation constitutes a clear case of “gender apartheid” and is in direct violation of Afghanistan’s international obligations, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
Key Areas of Concern
1. Systemic Discrimination Against Women
Women in Afghanistan are deprived of fundamental rights, including access to education, work, and basic freedoms. The situation has also led to increased domestic violence, forced marriage, and child marriage.
2. Education Crisis
More than 2.5 million girls remain deprived of secondary and higher education. Changes to the education system and the removal of critical subjects such as science, arts, and critical thinking threaten the future of an entire generation.
3. Violations Against Ethnic and Religious Minorities
Ethnic communities, particularly Hazaras, Tajiks, and Uzbeks, face systematic discrimination, arbitrary detention, forced displacement, and cultural repression. These patterns may amount to serious violations of international law and potential crimes against humanity.
4. Humanitarian Crisis and Forced Migration
More than half of Afghanistan’s population lives in extreme poverty. Restricted humanitarian access and the risk of forced deportation of refugees have further worsened the humanitarian situation.
5. Lack of an Inclusive Political Framework
The absence of women, youth, and minority participation in governance, along with the lack of an independent judiciary and national dialogue, continues to fuel instability and extremism.
Key Recommendations
The letter calls on the Council of Europe and the international community to:
- Recognize women’s rights as non-negotiable human rights
- Acknowledge gender apartheid and activate accountability mechanisms
- Utilize international legal frameworks such as CEDAW and the Rome Statute
- Ensure direct humanitarian access to women and girls
- Strengthen cooperation with Afghan civil society and women’s networks in exile
- Support online and community-based education initiatives
- Prevent forced returns of Afghan refugees and expand protection pathways
- Implement targeted sanctions against perpetrators of human rights violations
Conclusion
The signatories emphasize that Afghanistan is facing widespread, systematic, and structural human rights violations that require urgent and coordinated international action.
The Afghan civil society coalition reaffirms its readiness to cooperate with the Council of Europe in sharing verified information, supporting humanitarian initiatives, and contributing to accountability and justice mechanisms.
Respectfully,
Coalition of Afghan Women’s Networks, Civil Society Organisations, and Human Rights Defenders in Exile