UN Special Rapporteur: Afghan Women Demand Equal Rights, Not Charity
Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, stated that Afghan women and girls do not seek pity or charity but insist on fundamental rights and living equally while maintaining human dignity. He called on the international community to take a clear stance and apply diplomatic pressure to protect women’s rights against the policies of the Taliban administration.
On Saturday, March 7, in a video message marking International Women’s Day on March 8, Bennett said that over the past four years, a gender-discriminatory system has become institutionalized in Afghanistan. According to him, this structure is based on the exclusion and segregation of women and has been designed to dominate and gradually eliminate them from public spheres.
The UN Special Rapporteur emphasized that such a system is unprecedented in the world today. In recent years, the Taliban administration has imposed extensive restrictions, depriving women of higher education, many job opportunities, and free presence in public spaces—actions that have prompted widespread reactions from human rights organizations.
However, Bennett stressed that Afghan women have not surrendered. He noted that women across the country—and even in exile—are at the forefront of educational and social activities, from establishing underground schools to providing health services and documenting human rights violations.
He also added that women-led civil society organizations continue their activities despite severe pressure and repression and advocate for a different future. Bennett warned that reducing financial aid to Afghanistan could have devastating consequences for the people, especially women, and emphasized the ongoing need to support civil institutions managed by women.
