Thank you, Mr President.
Special Rapporteur,
We welcome your dedication to highlighting the grave human rights situation in Afghanistan. The UK fully supports your mandate.
As you have outlined, as we approach the fourth anniversary of Taliban rule, women and girls are denied their right to education, employment, freedom of movement and expression.
Discrimination against so many is compounded by the lack of accessible, affordable and impartial judicial institutions.
The Taliban must reverse these inhumane restrictions to ensure a brighter future for all Afghans, including minorities such as LGBT+ individuals and people from ethnic Hazara communities.
23 million Afghans are in need of humanitarian assistance. The UK continues to provide assistance, working with the UN and others.
We remain committed to working constructively for an Afghanistan at peace with itself, its neighbours and the international community. Afghanistan cannot achieve long-term stability and prosperity while half its population is systematically excluded from society.
The international community must remain united in ensuring accountability and in urging the Taliban to change direction.
Special Rapporteur, what are the short and long-term consequences of this erosion of justice for Afghan society as a whole?
