Statement on the Candidacy of Afghanistan to the Human Rights Council Membership 2023-2025

Statement on the Candidacy of Afghanistan to the Human Rights Council Membership 2023-2025

10 October, 2022

The Diplomatic Missions of the I. R. of Afghanistan have the honor to address the Member States of the United Nations regarding Afghanistan’s membership of the Human Rights Council for the term of 2023-2025. Since the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, the response by the international community has yet to commensurate with the human rights crisis on the ground. In an effort to generate an effective response, the Diplomatic Missions of Afghanistan have been present at international fora, amplifying the voices of over 38 million voiceless people in Afghanistan, despite facing various challenges.

A seat at the Human Rights Council would be a critical opportunity to continue to raise the voices, concerns, demands, and daily realities of the suffering of the people of Afghanistan. Voting for Afghanistan would be a significant step in the right direction to respond to the dire human rights situation.

The Permanent Mission of Afghanistan to United Nations Office in Geneva has actively participated in four Regular Sessions of the Human Rights Council, namely the 48th – 49th – 50th –51st sessions. Furthermore, Afghanistan tirelessly advocated for, and worked to make the Special Session on “The serious human rights concerns and situation in Afghanistan” (on the 24th of August 2021), as well as the Urgent Debate on “The Human Rights of Women and Girls in Afghanistan” (on the 1st of July 2022) possible.

We collaborated with the delegations of Afghanistan’s women rights activists and diplomats who continue to demonstrate exceptional strength, courage, and resilience. Their experiences and suggestions have been material to a robust dialogue and decisive action by the Council.

It is our aim that Afghanistan’s membership will not only contribute to promotion and protection of human rights in Afghanistan, but for each rights holder around the globe, therefore, we pledge to:

 • continue to represent, support and advocate for the human rights of the people of Afghanistan, and strive for peace and political stability;

• advocate against the ongoing gender apartheid in Afghanistan and fight for the rights of women and girls.

• present and preserve information and evidence on violations and abuses of human rights and international humanitarian law, as well as international crimes, in absence of domestic human rights mechanisms;

• support to strengthening the Council and its special procedures’ engagement on Afghanistan, while advocating for accountability, to pave the way for holding perpetrators responsible and ensuring access to justice for victims;

• support all initiatives on countering reprisals against cooperation with the United Nations Human Rights Council and its related mechanisms, support initiatives aimed at strengthening civil society organization’s participation at the Council and facilitate the access and engagement of activists, human rights defenders, and victims with the Council, special procedures, treaty bodies, and all other human rights mechanisms.

We ask all Member States to vote for Afghanistan’s membership of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the term of 2023-2025.