Thank you President,

The Kingdom of the Netherlands aligns itself with the EU statement and thanks the Special Rapporteur for his update. 

The human rights situation in Afghanistan remains dire. The systematic oppression of women and girls has long reached an alarming level. Since the Taliban’s return to power, Afghan women have been stripped of their most fundamental rights. They have been denied access to education, including medical schools, are severely restricted in their freedom of movement and in using their voice in public. This is outrageous.

What will the next generation of Afghan society look like when women and girls are excluded from public life and systematically erased from Afghan society? 

It doesn’t stop there. The Taliban also target minorities, independent media, human rights defenders and other critical voices. 

These are clear breaches of Afghanistan’s international legal obligations, including under CEDAW. We continue to urge Afghanistan to adhere to international human rights law.

There can be no steps towards normalization without improvements in the human rights situation. 

Mr. Bennett, thank you for your crucial work. How can we best support the call for strengthened accountability for human rights violations in Afghanistan and convince the Taliban to change their repressive policies in the interest of the future of the country? 

Thank you.