Five years after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, the country’s human rights situation has continued to deteriorate, according to the governments of Canada and Australia.
Marking the fifth anniversary of the Taliban takeover, the Canadian and Australian foreign ministries issued statements condemning the group’s systematic repression, widespread human rights violations and continued erosion of fundamental freedoms.
Both governments said Afghanistan was facing a worsening humanitarian, political and human rights crisis.
Since returning to power, the Taliban have institutionalised an ideology of extreme repression that has had a particularly devastating impact on women and girls, restricting virtually every aspect of their lives. Millions of Afghan girls remain barred from attending school, while women continue to face severe restrictions on their access to employment, freedom of movement and freedom of expression. Their ability to live with dignity and free from fear and violence has also been severely curtailed.
The Taliban’s crackdown has also hampered the work of journalists, silenced human rights defenders and civil society organisations, and exposed ethnic and religious minorities to persecution.
The group has made no meaningful moves towards establishing an inclusive and representative system of government, the statements said. Meanwhile, terrorist organisations continue to operate in what the governments described as a permissive environment, posing a serious threat to regional and global security.
“The Taliban must be held accountable for their actions. Canada will not support the normalisation of relations until there is demonstrable progress on human rights, inclusive governance and the protection of fundamental freedoms,” the Canadian government said.
“Canada remains firmly committed to supporting the people of Afghanistan and their aspirations for a stable, peaceful and secure country where the rights and dignity of all are respected,” the statement added.
The Australian government said it had worked closely with international partners over the past five years to address systematic discrimination in Afghanistan, including through efforts under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
Australia has also established the world’s first stand-alone sanctions regime specifically targeting Afghanistan, imposing financial sanctions and travel bans on senior Taliban leaders.
“Australia will not shirk its responsibility to uphold human rights. As the Afghan people continue to endure one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, we are once again reaffirming our commitment to the people of Afghanistan and to holding the Taliban accountable,” the Australian government said.
“We will continue to call for consequences and support international efforts to protect fundamental freedoms, ensuring that the Afghan people are not abandoned,” the statement added.
