Speech delivered by Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, on behalf of High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell

Since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in August 2021, the situation of human rights has continued to deteriorate in a deeply worrying way, especially for women and girls, who are facing continued and extreme gender-based discrimination and oppression.  

The recent ratification of the so-called “morality law” confirms and extends severe restrictions on the life of Afghans, and in particular women and girls. Not only are they obliged to cover their bodies and faces in public, but also their voices must not be heard in public. High Representative Borrell, on behalf of all Member States, already strongly condemned this appalling law in a united voice and he reiterated our unwavering support to the women and girls of Afghanistan, and to all those in Afghanistan threatened by the Taliban.  

Our position is clear: the European Union strongly condemns the systematic and systemic human rights violations and abuses in Afghanistan, particularly against all women and girls. They may amount to gender persecution, a crime against humanity under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court to which Afghanistan is a State party. We exhort the Taliban to ensure Afghan women and girls can fully and equally enjoy universal human rights, and this includes the right to study, speak, dress, move, work, and participate in public and social life without discrimination.   

The European Union will continue to support Afghan human rights defenders and civil society in Afghanistan and abroad with €8.9 million, as they courageously struggle to defend the rights of the Afghan people, in particular women and girls. European Union actions include preserving and safeguarding documentation related to grievances, strengthening the resilience of Afghan human rights defenders or contributing to maintained access to relevant and reliable information among the Afghan population, with an emphasis on women and youth.

Through the “morality law”, the Taliban have created an unsurmountable obstacle to normalised relations and recognition by the international community, to which the Taliban publicly aspire. The European Union remains fully committed towards an Afghanistan at peace with itself, its neighbours and the wider international community. This will only become possible if and when the rights of the Afghan citizens are respected, and international obligations are met.  

Thank you.

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