Enhanced Interactive Dialogue with Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan and Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls

Statement by the Delegation of the United States of American
Human Rights Council – 53rd Session

June 19, 2023

As delivered by
Special Envoy Rina Amiri
U.S. Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights

Mr. President,

We thank the Special Rapporteur and Working Group for their excellent report and robust advocacy for the rights of all Afghans, especially women and girls. We also thank the Afghans speaking before us today; it is vital that we continue to directly hear from Afghans themselves in multilateral fora where Afghanistan is discussed.

The United States strongly condemns the Taliban’s systemic discrimination against women and girls, including bans and restrictions on access to education and employment. Standing with Afghans in their struggle for dignity and free exercise of their human rights is a matter of principle and a strategic imperative.

Respect for human rights and women’s inclusion at all levels of society is important to addressing the welfare of all Afghans and integral to an economically viable, stable, and secure Afghanistan.

We must collectively continue to push the Taliban to reverse all their restrictions on women’s and girls’ exercise of their rights. Human rights are universal and do not belong to any culture.

If we do not stand up against the systemic discrimination against women in Afghanistan, we put at peril the rights of women everywhere.

Thank you.