RASC News Agency: On December 10, International Human Rights Day, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) urged the Taliban to honor global human rights commitments. In a statement, UNAMA emphasized that these commitments are essential for the protection and prosperity of both the current and future generations of men and women in Afghanistan. The statement highlighted that this year’s Human Rights Day theme is “Our Rights, Our Future, Now,” stressing how human rights empower individuals and communities to build a better future. It underscores the critical role of human rights as both a solution and a preventive measure.
UNAMA head, Rosinka Otunbayeva, remarked, “Despite improvements in security and a reduction in armed violence in Afghanistan, there is a continuous and dangerous erosion of human rights, with women and girls bearing the heaviest burden.” The organization pointed out that the Taliban’s human rights record, particularly its systemic discrimination against women and girls, has effectively excluded them from many aspects of daily and public life, including education and employment. Ms. Otunbayeva further stated, “The Taliban’s claim to represent the legitimate voice of the Afghanistani people must be accompanied by genuine efforts to uphold and promote our shared values and norms.”
Meanwhile, Fiona Fraser, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Afghanistan, said, “If Afghanistanis, especially women and girls, continue to be denied their rights, it will represent a blatant and deliberate failure to uphold the welfare of all those living in Afghanistan.” The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948, and Afghanistan, as a member state, supported its ratification.
