Volker Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has said that women and girls in Afghanistan have effectively been erased from public life, as he raised alarm over the deteriorating human rights situation in the country.
Speaking during the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Türk highlighted growing concerns over the repression of Afghan women and girls, stating that their voices have been silenced and their presence restricted to within the home.
“The rights of women and girls in Afghanistan have been systematically erased from public life,” he said. “They are excluded from education, employment, and civic participation.”
Türk also warned of serious threats facing other vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities and LGBTQ+ individuals. “Influential figures have openly mocked people with disabilities,” he noted. “LGBTIQ+ people continue to face legal restrictions, hate speech, and even violence.”
He further expressed concern that some countries have reduced funding for aid programmes in Afghanistan, despite worsening conditions on the ground.
