61 Session of the Human Rights Council
Joint Statement
EID on SR report and OHCHR report on Afghanistan/General debate item 2
02.03.2026
Mr President,
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of a cross‑regional group of XX countries to express our grave concern at the continued deterioration in the human rights situation of women and girls in Afghanistan.
We are deeply alarmed by the Taliban´s so-called penal code and related regulations, which further institutionalise discrimination and violence against women and girls and severely undermine their human rights, including not to be discriminated against and to live free from violence, with dignity and autonomy. Provisions that in practice permit physical “disciplinary” punishment, including by husbands, significantly weaken the criminalisation of domestic violence, and effectively legalitimize and normalize violence against women and children. This reinforces impunity and deniessurvivors access to justice.
We are further concerned by provisions that criminalise women’s freedom of movement and autonomy, including the possibility of imprisonment for married women who visit family members without their husband’s permission, and sanctions against relatives who host them. We are gravely concerned by reports that, taken together with broader restrictions on education, employment, healthcare and participation in public life, these measures form a systematic and institutionalised pattern of discrimination that may amount to international crimes.
We call on the Taliban to repeal all discriminatory edicts, end all discrimininatory practices and forms of violence against women and girls, and for Afghanistan to adhere to its international human rights obligations. We urge this Council and the wider international community to use all available mechanisms to ensure accountability and to provide robust support to Afghan women and girls in their pursuit of their rights and fundamental freedoms.
Thank you.
Colombia on behalf of Situation of human rights of women and girls in Afghanistan (Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Gambia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands (Kingdom of the), New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Uruguay)