GENEVA: Nasir Ahmad Andisha, Afghanistan’s representative to the United Nations Human Rights Council, has warned that the country is witnessing the consolidation of what he described as a “system of repression.” Referring to the council’s recent report, Andisha said Afghanistan is experiencing the gradual formation of a system that undermines the foundations of human dignity. He stated that fundamental freedoms have been restricted by the Taliban, particularly through the enforcement of the so-called “Promotion of Virtue” law, while arbitrary detentions, censorship, public executions, and corporal punishments continue. Andisha further said a structure of deprivation and discrimination against women and girls has taken shape, systematically limiting their access to healthcare and institutionalizing inequality. According to him, Afghanistan’s health crisis has both structural and gender dimensions, women are not allowed to visit hospitals without a male guardian, female health workers face restrictions, and medical education for women has been banned. He warned that by excluding women from education and employment, the country’s healthcare system would not be able to sustain itself. Andisha also reported rising maternal mortality rates, noting that millions of women lack access to reliable healthcare services, while nearly four million children suffer from acute malnutrition and preventable diseases.
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