The UN Human Rights Council adopted today a resolution on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, establishing the mandate of a Special Rapporteur. The resolution, which was introduced by the European Union and co-sponsored by 50 countries from across all regions, sends a strong signal that the international community will continue to stand by the Afghan people.

“The rights of women and girls are of particular concern to us. The actions of the Taliban directed against women and girls and the violation of their rights are highly worrying,” says Ambassador Lotte Knudsen, Head of the EU Delegation to the UN in Geneva. “At the beginning of this Human Rights Council session, the High Commissioner for Human Rights raised many concerns about Afghanistan. She described reports of human rights violations and abuses, and the alarming situation for women, persons belonging to minorities, human rights defenders and journalists in the country. We heard her message, loud and clear. This resolution responds to the call which the High Commissioner made to this Council, to establish a dedicated mechanism to monitor the evolving human rights situation,” Ambassador Knudsen adds.

The resolution, which builds on the recent resolution presented by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at the Special Session of the Human Rights Council in August, foresees that the Special Rapporteur will benefit from an additional expertise, to be provided by OHCHR, in the fields of fact finding, legal analysis, rights of women and girls and of persons belonging to minorities, right to education, forensics and torture. “This is an essential step to ensure continued monitoring, through a dedicated and independent expert, and to help prevent a further deterioration of the human rights situation in Afghanistan,” states EU Ambassador Knudsen.

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The UN Human Rights Council adopted today the EU-led resolution “Situation of Human Rights in Burundi”.

The resolution acknowledges the progress made in the past twelve months in the fields of human rights, good governance and the rule of law, while also pointing to a number of persistent challenges that need to be addressed.

The resolution furthermore establishes a Special Rapporteur to continue to monitor the human rights situation in the country and accompany the Government of Burundi on its path towards reengaging with the international community as well as with the UN and its human rights mechanisms.

The EU will continue to work with the Burundian Government in a view to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms. We reiterate our call to ensure accountability for all human rights violations and abuses committed and to end impunity.