The United Nations Human Rights Council has announced the launch of a formal investigation into serious human rights violations in Afghanistan, amid increasing global concern over the Taliban’s ongoing repression of women and girls.
The decision, adopted without a vote by the 47-member council in Geneva, follows a resolution introduced by Denmark’s ambassador Ib Petersen on behalf of the European Union. The resolution establishes an independent mechanism to collect, preserve, and analyse evidence of international crimes committed in Afghanistan.
“Four years since the Taliban’s forcible takeover, the human rights situation has only worsened, deepened by a severe humanitarian crisis,” Petersen said. He stressed that the Taliban has “entrenched repression” and “erased civic space”, calling on the international community to stand in solidarity with the Afghan people.
The new investigative body will document violations of international law, including widespread abuses against women and girls, and prepare evidence files to support potential criminal prosecutions. An EU spokesperson told AFP that the mechanism would “preserve testimonies and stories of victims,” ensuring accountability for future judicial proceedings.
Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban has imposed a harsh interpretation of Islamic law, effectively excluding women from public life. Afghan women are banned from higher education, barred from most professions, and restricted from travelling without a male guardian. They are also prohibited from visiting parks or gyms.
The resolution “deplores the Taliban’s institutionalisation of discrimination, segregation, domination, and exclusion of women and girls,” condemning what Colombia’s ambassador Gustavo Gallon described as a deliberate attempt to “delete them from public life.”
“All Afghans continue to suffer under hunger, displacement, and repression,” Colombia’s representative added.
While the resolution passed without opposition, China distanced itself from the consensus, arguing that the text “fails to acknowledge the positive progress achieved” under the Taliban. The Chinese envoy claimed that Afghanistan had taken steps toward stability and economic growth.
Fereshta Abbasi, Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch, welcomed the move, saying the investigation “puts the Taliban and others responsible for serious crimes on notice that evidence is being gathered to ensure future justice.”
