GENEVA: Richard Bennett said findings from his latest report show that the Taliban are systematically depriving women and girls of their fundamental rights, actions that, in his view, could amount to crimes against humanity. Bennett explained that the report focuses on women’s and girls’ access to healthcare services, showing that Afghanistan is facing a deepening crisis in both health and human rights, disproportionately affecting women and girls. According to him, decades of war, poverty, underinvestment, and heavy reliance on foreign aid have left the country’s healthcare system fragile, while recent aid cuts have further worsened conditions. However, he stressed that restrictive Taliban policies, particularly those blocking women and girls from accessing essential services, are placing additional pressure on them, especially women and girls from minority and marginalized communities. Quoting a female doctor, Bennett said: “Today in Afghanistan, being healthy does not simply mean not being sick; it means having the freedom and security to access care.”
