The UN’s Special Rapporteur Responds to Taliban Ban: A Retrograde Step in Afghanistan
The United Nations’ special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, expressed deep concern over the Taliban’s recent ban preventing him from entering the country. In a statement, Bennett described the ban as a retrograde step that sends a troubling signal about the Taliban’s engagement with the international community on human rights issues.
Since the Taliban regained power in August 2021, they have imposed strict restrictions, particularly affecting women’s rights. The UN has labeled these restrictions as “gender apartheid,” limiting women’s access to education, work, public spaces, and travel without a male relative.
Despite the ban, Bennett remains committed to documenting human rights violations in Afghanistan and advocating for improvements. He emphasized his willingness to engage with the Afghan people and stakeholders to address these issues.
As an independent UN expert, Bennett has provided critical assessments and recommendations to the Taliban government. He urged the Taliban to reverse their decision and reiterated his readiness to travel to Afghanistan for further engagement.
While facing distrust from the Taliban government, Bennett continues his efforts to shed light on human rights violations in Afghanistan. The international community, including UN chief Antonio Guterres, supports these monitoring and reporting activities, even in the absence of direct access to the areas of concern.
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