RASC News Agency: The Associated Press reports that over 20 countries have expressed firm support for pursuing legal action against the Taliban at the International Court of Justice if they fail to cease gender-based discrimination. These nations have unanimously condemned the Taliban’s egregious and systemic human rights abuses, particularly against women and girls. While the specific countries remain unnamed, they stress the Taliban’s continuous violations of obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
The countries reaffirmed that they do not politically recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. They further emphasized that the group’s failure to uphold human rights has hindered any pathway towards normalized international relations. Previously, Canada, Germany, Australia, and the Netherlands jointly warned the Taliban of impending legal action should they persist in gender-based discrimination, invoking violations of the said convention. Afghanistan, having signed the convention in 2003, is bound by its commitments.
The Taliban, however, dismissed the accusations as unfounded propaganda from women’s groups. Since regaining control of Afghanistan, the Taliban has drastically curtailed women’s fundamental rights, denying them the opportunity for education and employment. UN experts have classified these actions as “crimes against humanity,” which are prosecutable through international courts.
