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The latest publications, news, and events from the GFA team 

Articles, interviews, reports, press releases, and media events on Afghanistan.

ALERTS: Afghanistan
International and Diplomatic Events
Alert -- October 3rd, 2024

Look Ahead

United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Meetings: September-December

The current UNGA session’s key sessions, side meetings, and working groups discussing global priorities such as climate change, human rights, and sustainable development.  Afghanistan’s situation, particularly its humanitarian crisis and women’s rights, could arise in these sessions.

 

Meeting of the 6th Committee – Crimes Against Humanity Treaty: The U.N. General Assembly’s Sixth Committee will meet in October to continue discussions on the Crimes Against Humanity treaty. This treaty seeks to establish a legal framework to address serious international crimes. Key discussions may include the codification of gender apartheid as a crime against humanity, particularly in light of the situation in Afghanistan, based on the Taliban’s systematic oppression of women and girls. Ten member states have expressed openness to including gender-based crimes in the treaty. ALERT: The October session is a crucial opportunity to advocate publicly for the recognition of gender apartheid as an international crime and push for legal accountability.

Human Rights Council - renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur: The mandate of Richard Bennett, Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan Human Rights, is expected to be extended during the ongoing session of the Human Rights Council, which runs until October 10. ALERT: While most countries have shown their support, making it highly likely that his mandate will be renewed, showing support for his mission will be important to ensuring it is properly resourced.

Special Envoys Meetings and possible Doha Process meeting: Special envoys will meet no later than early 2025 to discuss diplomatic engagement with Afghanistan, focusing on women’s rights, humanitarian aid, and international strategies for responding to the Taliban’s policies. 

ALERT: Future Doha Process meetings may continue to exclude civil society participation and human rights topics, which could hinder meaningful dialogue and the integration of diverse perspectives essential for addressing Afghanistan’s challenges effectively.

 

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit: November, San Francisco CA, USA

At the APEC Summit, Pacific Rim leaders will gather to discuss trade and economic growth.

Afghanistan’s role in regional trade and economic stability may be indirectly addressed during

discussions of broader economic collaboration across Asia. ALERT: This summit presents a vital opportunity to advocate for Afghanistan’s inclusion in economic discussions, highlighting its ongoing humanitarian challenges and the need for international support to ensure regional stability.

 

G20 Summit: November 2024, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The G20 Summit will focus on global economic stability, climate change, and international trade.

Afghanistan may be a topic of discussion in terms of its humanitarian needs and how sanctions or international aid can affect global stability​.

 

UN Security Council renewal vote on Taliban sanctions: December

Members of the Security Council will decide whether or not to extend sanctions (financial asset freeze, travel bans) on 135 Taliban officials and 5 groups for another year. The regime is referred to as UN Security Council Resolution 1988 and must be renewed before December 14.

ALERT: Advocates for Afghanistan are urged to call for the continuation of sanctions against the Taliban while ensuring that humanitarian aid is directed to the Afghan people, not the regime. 

 

COP29 Climate Change Conference: November 2024, Baku Azerbeijan

At COP29, Afghanistan’s vulnerabilities to climate change could be raised, particularly concerning the country’s need for climate resilience and adaptation financing ​(Focus2030). ALERT: Some have argued that the Taliban should be invited to climate discussions – but this is a form of unearned recognition. Instead, apolitical Afghan climate experts should be invited.

 

UN Security Council Briefing on UNAMA: Before December 21, 2024, New York

The UN Security Council will issue its regular report and hold its quarterly briefing on UNAMA operations, focusing on Afghanistan’s political, security, and humanitarian challenges. These meetings will address the Taliban’s governance, women’s rights, counterterrorism concerns, and aid distribution. ALERT: This is an opportunity for all Security Council member states to ask UNAMA about the mission’s role in preventing and documenting human rights abuses.

 

Regional meetings: before the end of 2024

ALERT: Regional states should not include the Taliban as a legitimate participant and representatives of the Afghan people.

  • Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) - The SCO remains a crucial forum for addressing Afghanistan’s security and counterterrorism concerns. Given Afghanistan’s significant impact on regional stability, particularly in terms of terrorism and drug trafficking, these issues are expected to be key points of discussion at the upcoming SCO session.

  • South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) - Although SAARC has faced internal challenges, Afghanistan’s membership could prompt discussions around regional cooperation, humanitarian assistance, and integration into South Asia’s trade networks.

  • Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit - The ECO Summit will focus on economic cooperation in Central and South Asia. Afghanistan’s potential role in energy projects, infrastructure development, and trade connectivity will be key agenda items.

Past events (July – September 2024)

 

September 30: Canada, Germany, Australia, and The Netherlands have taken Afghanistan and the de facto (Taliban) authorities to the International Court of Justice on the basis of Afghanistan’s violations of its international treaty obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

On September 27, the UN Human Rights Council adopted Afghanistan's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report, initially submitted in April by the Permanent Mission of Afghanistan in Geneva, with a majority vote. This represents a historic achievement for the Afghan nation, particularly for the courageous women who continue to fight for their rights, since the people of Afghanistan were able to represent themselves directly to the international community via the country’s Mission in Geneva.

September 23: UN General Assembly side event was hosted by Qatar on “The Inclusion of Women in the Future of Afghanistan”. This high-level meeting was co-sponsored by Indonesia, Ireland, and Switzerland, and the Women’s Forum on Afghanistan, with attendance by the UN Secretary General, UN Deputy Secretary General Rosemary DiCarlo,  former European Parliament Vice Chair Margot Wallstrom, Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep, and foreign ministers, including from Australia and the Netherlands.

September 18: The UN Security Council’s quarterly UNAMA briefing focused on the  

humanitarian and development crisis in Afghanistan, highlighting the lack of funding for

critical services. The UN warned of a looming humanitarian disaster. The Director of UN/Women strongly condemned the Taliban’s morality laws. Eleven (11) members of the UN Security Council held a press conference and issued a statement condemning the Taliban’s new morality laws and their impact on women and girls in Afghanistan.

September 17 and 18: UN General Assembly side events on the dire state of Afghanistan women’s rights and the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, co-hosted by the Afghanistan Mission to the UN. Other hosting nations for these two events were Chile, the Dominican Republic, Finland, Greece, Malta, the UK, and Canada. 

September 9-10: UN Human Rights Council, Geneva. The Interactive Dialogue on Afghanistan saw numerous member states express grave concern over new rules imposed by the Taliban regarding women's "virtue" and "voice." Many countries strongly condemned these restrictions, highlighting the Taliban's ongoing efforts to marginalize women and violate their basic human rights. Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan in his Oral Update at the Human Rights Council, addressed the human rights violations, especially regarding the situation of minorities, LGBTQI people and women’s rights and the deterioration of civil liberties under Taliban rule. The Taliban’s recent ban on his travel to Afghanistan was heavily condemned, as it was seen as an attempt to obstruct independent scrutiny and conceal the full extent of human rights abuses under their rule.

July 12: The quarterly UN Security Council meeting on UNAMA addressed regional security issues related to Afghanistan, focusing on a recent attack in Pakistan by extremist groups allegedly sheltered by the Taliban and the ongoing security concerns for neighboring countries​.

July 8: The Monitoring Team for the sanctions regime against the Taliban issued its annual report, noting the extensive presence of international terrorist groups in the country, most with Taliban permission, and the consolidation of power under the Taliban Supreme Leader.

Reports/Statements

September 9, 2024: A joint letter by 73 Afghan organizations and 17 supporting international organizations to the members of the UN Security Council called on the international community to act on the findings of the UN Special Rapporteur’s report on Afghanistan, highlighting

severe human rights abuses under Taliban rule, particularly targeting women and minorities.

 

August 27, 2024: The OHCHR issued a strong condemnation of a Taliban order that effectively erased women from public life through a “virtue and vice” order, with calls for immediate revocation.

 

August 25, 2024: UNAMA issued a statement committing to continued engagement with

Afghanistan’s de facto authorities, while pushing for human rights improvements, following the Taliban’s rejection of UN criticism of its policies​.

August 25, 2024: A UN report highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by healthcare workers in Afghanistan, particularly midwives, in the face of Taliban restrictions, emphasizing their role in maintaining essential health services despite the regime’s oppression​.

August 15, 2024: The UN Development Program published the bi-annual update on the Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan. This report highlighted the underfunding of humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan, where only 21% of the needed $3 billion had been raised, resulting in cuts to essential health services and nutrition programs​.

August 14, 2024: UNESCO reported that the Taliban’s rule had nearly wiped out two decades of educational progress, jeopardizing the future of an entire generation of Afghan children, particularly girls​.

July 2024: UNAMA and OHCHR issued a joint report documenting and condemning the negative impact of Taliban “morality” laws.​​​

Click on the icon for a Dari version of the alerts

ALERTS: Afghanistan
International and Diplomatic Events
Alert -- July 16, 2024

Look Ahead

 

July-October

  • On July 19, the UN Security Council will meet on the cooperation between the UN and regional organizations with a focus on the role of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), of immediate relevance to Afghanistan.

  • September 2024, the Security Council will hold its quarterly briefing on the status of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA.

 

  • In October 2024, the UN General Assembly's Sixth Committee is scheduled to discuss a draft of the new Crimes Against Humanity Treaty, which will debate including gender apartheid as a crime against humanity. 

 

  • November 2024, the UN Credentials Committee, of which China, Russia, and the United States are permanent members along with six elected members, must rule on the Taliban’s application to assume Afghanistan’s seat at the General Assembly.

 

Past Events

 

  • On July 11 Saudi Arabia’s non-resident Ambassador to Afghanistan visited Kabul and met with the de facto Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi. In June, de facto Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani received an exemption to travel to Saudi Arabia, where he met with senior officials and attended Haj, as well as visiting the United Arab Emirates.

  • On July 8 the Sanctions committee for UNSCR 1988 Monitoring Team issued its annual report on “the Taliban and other associated individuals and entities constituting a threat to the peace stability and security of Afghanistan.” The report makes it clear that Al Qaeda, the TTP, ISIS-K, and other terrorist groups are operating in Afghanistan with either Taliban agreement or failure to address the threats that are posed to regional security.

  • At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Astana July 3-4 for Heads of State, to which Afghanistan representatives were not invited, UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the need for an inclusive Afghan government respecting human rights for sustainable peace; Pakistan urged the Taliban to prevent Afghan soil from being used by terrorists; while SCO members supported Tajikistan's idea of a security belt around Afghanistan.

 

  • June 30-July 1: Doha 3/Special Representatives met on Afghanistan with UN Under Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo and representatives from the Taliban. Due to the Taliban’s demands, backed up by some Member States, no members of Afghanistan’s opposition or civil society were invited. The agenda was limited to financial and banking-related problems facing Afghanistan, alternative livelihoods for poppy growers, and climate change impacts on the country. The meeting does not imply recognition of the Taliban, the UN has emphasized.

  • The 4th round of the Vienna Afghan conference was held on 24-26 June, with an increasing number of participants (over 70) representing a wider range of Afghanistan groups. A roadmap for cooperation among members of the political opposition has not been finalized.

  • June 21, the Security Council held its quarterly open briefing on Afghanistan. Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) Roza Otunbayeva, Lisa Doughten from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and Manizha Wafek, former Director of the Afghanistan Women’s Chamber of Commerce, briefed the Council. Dougthten noted that the UN has only received 21 percent of its appeal to help alleviate hunger and other areas of need. Wafeq criticized then upcoming Doha meeting as excluding women, and said that the Taliban have destroyed the economy by preventing inclusive government and participation of women. France’s Deputy Permanent Representative termed the situation systematic segregation in her statement.

  • June 18: At the regular session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett issued his report and addressed the Council on June 18, calling for an “all tools” approach to fighting gender apartheid in Afghanistan.

Related Messaging

  • Afghanistan is not at peace under the Taliban: terrorist groups have safe haven, women and other citizens face increased domestic violence, arrests, and killings

  • At future Doha meetings human rights need to be central to the agenda, and non-Taliban voices of Afghanistan must be heard #afghanhumanrights #Listen2AfghanWomen

  • Gender apartheid must end in Afghanistan: #endgenderapartheid

  • UNAMA should promote human rights and the voices of all Afghans

ALERTS: Afghanistan
International and Diplomatic Events
Alert -- June 10, 2024

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UN Photo/Loey Felipe

Look-Ahead
  • Key Event:  June 30-July 1: UN Under Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo will convene Special Representatives from about 20 countries for the “Doha 3” meeting, to discuss the political road map and appointment of a Special Envoy, as called for in the Independent Assessment report of November 2023.

    • The Doha 3 agenda appears to be limited to financial and banking-related problems facing Afghanistan, alternative livelihoods for poppy growers, and climate change impacts on the country.

    • In late May DiCarlo traveled to Kabul and invited the Taliban to participate. They set conditions for attendance, including the exclusion of Afghan civil society representatives and the topic of human rights. The UN spokesman stated on May 28 that human rights and women’s rights are important priorities for Doha 3.

    • In early June, Sirajuddin Haqqani met with officials in the United Arab Emirates.

    • US Special Representative Tom West and Special Representative Rina Amiri met with UAE officials in late May and EU Special Representative Niklasson met with Qatari officials on May 31.

 

  • June (release date is unannounced): the UN Security Council Resolution 1988 Monitoring Team on sanctions against the Taliban will issue its annual report.

https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1988/monitoring-team/reports

  • June 18-July 12: UN Human Rights Council in Geneva holds its regular session. Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan Human Rights Richard Bennett will issue his report on June 18 and will highlight gender persecution.

  • June 21, UN Security Council quarterly open briefing on UNAMA, at which Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) Roza Otunbayeva and a representative of civil society are expected to brief, followed by closed consultations among Council members. As required by UNSC Resolution 2615, Martin Griffiths, UN Deputy Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, will brief the Council on the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan.

  • June 26: UN Security Council holds its Thematic Debate on children and armed conflict, with relevance to the issue of threats to children in Afghanistan.

  • By the end of June, Security Council members must renew the 1267/1989/2253 Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) and Al-Qaida sanctions regimes.

  • Before September 2024, the UN Credentials Committee must rule on the Taliban’s application to assume Afghanistan’s UN seat.

  • In October 2024, the UN General Assembly's Sixth Committee is scheduled to discuss a draft of the new Crimes Against Humanity Treaty that includes gender apartheid as a potential crime against humanity. 

Back-brief

  • The UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva’s Universal Periodic Review session from April 29-May 10 featured a review of the human rights situation in Afghanistan, spotlighting the ongoing abuses, gender apartheid, and lack of representation by Afghan citizens in their own government.

  • On June 3, the OSCE Asian Partners for Co-operation Group held a special meeting in Vienna to address Afghan women’s rights, as an urgent issue with significant implications for both regional and global stability.

  • Starting June 5, Taliban leaders, including Sirajuddin Haqqani, received UN Security Council waivers of their travel ban (under UNSCR 1988) to perform Hajj.

Ø  Russia and the region send mixed signals:

o   The 83rd meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization's (CSTO) Defense Council met in Almaty at the end of May. At that meeting Russia highlighted the continuous threat posed by numerous radical groups within Afghanistan to the neighboring republics.

o   June 8-9, the Regional Contact Group [aka the Moscow Process] met in Tehran without Taliban attendance. Public statements focused on the need for an inclusive Afghan government. China, Russia, Iran, and Pakistan attended, with the intention of strengthening a regional approach to the Doha meeting June 30.

o   Numerous news stories have floated the possibility of Russian President Putin approving a delisting of the Taliban from a Russian list of ‘banned groups’ based on the reality of their hold on power; on June 4 he noted the importance of finding a way to work with the Taliban.

o   Kazakhstan removed the Taliban from their terrorist list on June 3.

o   June 5-8, Abdul Manan Omari, “Minister” of Labor and Social Affairs, attended the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Russia, and on June 9, Afghanistan “Minister” for Higher Education attended a global education summit in Russia.

o   In late May at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s foreign minister meeting, to which the Taliban was not invited, Chinese FM called for cooperation with the Taliban against terrorism.

Related Messaging

  • At the UN meeting in Doha June 30-July 1, human rights must be central to the agenda and any engagement with the Taliban, and non-Taliban voices of Afghanistan must be heard #afghanhumanrights #Listen2AfghanWomen

  • Gender apartheid in Afghanistan is a crime against humanity: #endgenderapartheid

  • Afghanistan is not at peace or stable under the Taliban: women are subject to increased violence, citizens face unlawful killings and arrests, & terrorist groups have safe haven

 

  • UNAMA must promote human rights and the voices of all Afghans

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CONTACT INFORMATION
If you want to submit evidence of human rights incidents in Afghanistan. Please contact UN representatives on the following email address:
hrc-sr-afghanistan@un.org
Click on the United Nations website below for more information:
OHCHR | Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan
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Mr. Richard Bennett

Resources4Afghans
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USA Hello's Afghan Resource Center offers practical information and resources for newly arriving Afghans to the USA.

Find information in English, Dari, or Pashto on services and benefits, immigration, jobs, daily life, American culture, U.S. laws, money, health, and education. Use their FindHello app to connect to local services in cities across the country. Find help for every status including Special Immigrant Visa (SIV), refugees, and people with humanitarian parole.

Click on the logo above for more information.

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The British Red Cross is working with Afghans coming to the United Kingdom. 

Their site contains resources for Afghans looking for information on how to adapt to life in the UK. It's also a good resource for health and wellbeing. The British Red Cross is also providing translators.

The site which is in English, Dari, and Pashto guides you through the British government's Afghan Citizen’s Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) and the Afghan Relocations & Assistance Policy (ARAP) Scheme. ARAP is to help Afghans that worked with the UK government or Armed Forces in Afghanistan. 

Click on the logo above for more information. 


 

Global resources and information on the situation in #Afghanistan

Afghan Peace Watch

 

Report on threats to former Afghan security and civilian personnel:

 

 

News and Briefings:

 

 

 

 

Afghan Witness: Human Rights Reporting from Afghanistan

 

For witnesses to human rights violations and journalists:

 

 

Reports on security and threats to women and girls:

 

 

 

Individual stories covering journalists, judges, prosecutors, civil servants, aid workers, doctors, LGBTQ+ individuals, human and women’s rights defenders and entrepreneurs:

 

 

Human Rights Watch (Afghanistan)

 

Reports and videos on human rights violations targeting:

 

 

 

 

News and Briefings

 

 

 

 

 

 

UN Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

 

Report on threats to women, journalists and religious and ethnic minorities:

 

To report human rights concerns in Afghanistan with confidentiality. Please contact the following email:

hrc-sr-afghanistan@un.org

 

Updates and Urgent UN Debates

 

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Global Friends of Afghanistan welcomes, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken creating the Alliance for Afghan Women’s Economic Resilience (AWER).

 

"AWER is a new public-private partnership between the Department of State and Boston University that aims to catalyze business, philanthropic, and civil society commitments to advance Afghan women’s entrepreneurship, employment, and educational opportunities in Afghanistan and third countries."

This is a great move for the Afghan people. 

Secretary of State Blinken Launches Alliance for Afghan Women’s Economic Resilience - United States Department of State

For more details about AWER please contact Radhika Prabhu, PrabhuRG@state.gov

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