KABUL: Nasir Ahmad Faiq, Afghanistan’s acting representative at the United Nations, and Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, have called for the recognition of gender apartheid in the country. During meetings and workshops related to the drafting of a “Treaty to Prevent and Punish Crimes Against Humanity” in New York, the two officials emphasized that women and girls in Afghanistan are victims of systemic violence and extensive restrictions. They stated that addressing these violations would be impossible without including gender apartheid in international law. Faiq and Bennett also stressed the need for meaningful participation of Afghan women in the treaty drafting process, asserting that their lived experiences should be central to any legal decision-making. Since the Taliban regained power, Afghan women and girls have been deprived of their rights to education and work, facing severe restrictions on their participation in society. UN officials have called for immediate and legal support for Afghan women and girls to ensure that gender apartheid is officially recognized as a crime against humanity.
