The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) has welcomed the UN Human Rights Council’s decision to establish an independent investigative mechanism on Afghanistan and called on governments to provide sufficient funding to ensure its effective operation.
Sandra Ratjen, head of the ICJ’s International Justice Support Section, described the mechanism as a “crucial step forward in addressing the systematic rights violations and abuses in Afghanistan, particularly against women, girls, and LGBTQI+ persons.”
She said that after years of appeals from Afghans for accountability, the Human Rights Council had finally created a path toward justice that must be implemented “swiftly and with adequate resources.”
The ICJ warned that without additional funding, the new Afghanistan mechanism would be unable to carry out its mandate effectively.
Adopted on Monday, 6 October, the resolution establishes an independent investigative mechanism tasked with collecting, preserving, and analysing evidence of international crimes and serious violations of international law, including potential human rights abuses.
Modelled on similar mechanisms created for Syria and Myanmar, the new body will compile case files to support fair and independent judicial proceedings in national, regional, or international courts or tribunals.
The resolution also stipulates that the mechanism’s work will be implemented gradually, depending on available budgetary resources.
The appeal comes amid a financial shortfall at the UN, which has allocated just one per cent of its 2026 budget to human rights activities.
Ratjen said that while the UN’s funding crisis is real, so is “the dire situation facing Afghan women,” many of whom are banned from leaving home, working, or accessing education.
A report on the mechanism’s establishment will be presented at the 61st session of the Human Rights Council, with its operational capacity set for review during the 66th session.
The ICJ urged governments to ensure that financial constraints “no longer stand in the way of justice for Afghan victims and survivors.”
