UN body to hold urgent debate on Afghan women, girls' rights
The U.N.’s top human rights body is to hold an urgent debate next week to discuss the erosion of rights of women and girls in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover nearly a year ago
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The U.N.'s top human rights body is to hold an urgent debate next week to discuss the erosion of rights of women and girls in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover nearly a year ago.
Human Rights Council spokesman Rolando Gomez said Friday that the Geneva-based rights body was expected hold the debate on July 1 as part of its ongoing summer session, following a request for the discussion by the European Union and France.
In a letter seeking the session, the EU and French ambassadors wrote that they were “profoundly concerned about the growing erosion of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and girls by the Taliban" since their return to power last August.
They cited Taliban restrictions on schooling, employment, freedom of movement and full participation in public life, and called on the 47-member-country rights body to consider adopting a resolution on the matter.
A draft resolution would be presented “as soon as possible,” wrote EU Ambassador Lotte Knudsen and French Ambassador Jerome Bonnafont in the letter.