Heather Barr: International support for cases of women’s rights against the Taliban has declined

Heather Barr, Deputy Director of the Women’s Rights Division at Human Rights Watch, says that some countries have prioritized relations with the Taliban in order to facilitate the deportation of asylum seekers, and as a result have suspended or sidelined efforts to pursue cases related to violations of women’s rights by the group. She said on Monday, 22 June, that Germany, Australia, Canada, and the Netherlands—who two years ago jointly committed to bringing a case before the International Court of Justice regarding alleged violations of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women by the Taliban—have now suspended or weakened these efforts.