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Richard Bennett reports to UNGA, says Afghanistan is facing many challenges
The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, said on Tuesday that Afghanistan is facing a convergence of challenges, including a deteriorating human rights situation.
He said in a report to the UN General Assembly this was due to the Islamic Emirates repressive policies and practices, a culture of impunity, an ongoing humanitarian and economic crisis, recent deadly earthquakes, and the possibility of massive involuntary returns [from Pakistan], all of which require urgent action to avoid further suffering and potential instability in the country and the region.
He said: “A grave picture has emerged, providing a glimpse of what may lie ahead for the human rights of many Afghans, particularly women and girls, and also for other groups including human rights defenders, journalists, ethnic and linguistic minorities, LGBTI persons, persons with disabilities, former government officials and military and security personnel.”
He also said the recent earthquakes had severely affected already vulnerable communities in Herat, and urged the international community to provide needed assistance.
The expert stressed the need to resume the education of girls beyond the sixth grade and women’s tertiary education, noting that the IEA had repeatedly stated that the suspension was temporary.
“The Taliban’s (IEA) actions may amount to gender persecution,” Bennett said. “Systematic discrimination, oppression and segregation of women and girls require further examination of the evolving phenomenon of ‘gender apartheid’.”
However, the Islamic Emirate has repeatedly said that international institutions do not reflect the true image of Afghanistan, especially when it comes to human rights, they rely more on propaganda.
“We are a war-torn country, there were no economic resources, and we are trying to revive the economic resources so that they can be created in order to eliminate the poverty and hardship of the people.” In this regard, we don’t sit quietly and work day and night, but unfortunately, these organizations always focus on the negative points instead of the positive points in publishing their reports, and which is devoid of truth,” said Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman of the Islamic Emirate.
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has emphasized the continuation of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, stating that the ongoing provision of such aid plays an important role in ensuring regional security.
Speaking at the international conference “Peace and Trust” in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, Tokayev described addressing complex humanitarian challenges and the reconstruction of Afghanistan as a necessity.
“To ensure regional security, we consider it essential to continue providing assistance to Afghanistan, including by strengthening international efforts to address complex humanitarian issues and the reconstruction of this country. Kazakhstan remains committed to supporting the people of Afghanistan through humanitarian aid, educational projects, trade development, and food security initiatives,” he said.
Meanwhile, experts believe that sustainable improvement of the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan requires broad cooperation from the international community and support for the country’s economic development.
“Investment can be defined as one of the fundamental drivers of the economic cycle, and whenever Afghan traders do not take their money out of the country and instead invest domestically, it naturally leads to greater growth and dynamism in Afghanistan’s economy,” said Abdul Zahoor Modabber, an economic analyst.
As the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan continues, reports by international relief organizations indicate that millions of citizens of the country are in urgent need of food, health, and livelihood assistance.
The reduction in funding for aid organizations, the impacts of climate change, and the return of migrants have increased concerns about a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the country.
The Islamic Emirate has announced that it will not participate in the upcoming meeting of special envoys of regional countries on Afghanistan, scheduled to be held in Tehran, despite having received an invitation.
In a statement, Zia Ahmad Takal, Head of Information and Public Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the Islamic Emirate has maintained continuous and active engagement with all regional countries through various organizations, regional formats, and bilateral mechanisms, achieving notable progress in promoting mutual understanding and regional cooperation.
The statement added that Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes regional cooperation should be advanced by strengthening existing mechanisms and formats within the region.
Tehran is set to host the meeting next week, with special envoys from Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, China, and Russia expected to attend.
Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, Minister of Interior of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, said during a visit to Khost province on Friday that any government which rules through fear cannot be considered a true government.
“A government is one that is loved by its people, one that serves them with respect and compassion, and from whose behavior people learn ethics and sincerity,” he said.
Haqqani also stressed that Afghans who opposed the Islamic Emirate in the past should be tolerated and treated in a way that helps eliminate hostility and animosity, paving the way for national cohesion.
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