Joint Statement by the Security Council Signatories of the Statement of Shared Commitments for the Principles of Women, Peace, and Security

On 12th December, prior to the Security Council's Briefing on the situation in Afghanistan, Amb. Dorothy Shea, Deputy Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations, delivered the statement below on behalf of the current and incoming Security Council Signatories of the Statement of Shared Commitments for the Principles of Women, Peace and Security, namely Ecuador, France, Guyana, Japan, Malta, Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as Denmark, Greece and Panama:

We, the current and incoming Security Council signatories of the Statement of Shared Commitments for the principles of Women, Peace and Security (WPS), namely Ecuador, France, Guyana, Japan, Malta, Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as Denmark, Greece, and Panama, reiterate our strong condemnation of the Taliban’s continued and systemic gender discrimination, increased gender-based violence, and ongoing human rights abuses against all women and girls in Afghanistan, which may amount to gender persecution.  

It has been more than three years since the Taliban denied girls beyond the sixth grade the ability to receive secondary school education.  This month marks two years since the Taliban banned Afghan women from attending university and from working for non-governmental organizations.  The Taliban’s issuance of the so-called Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice edict in August, its reported decision to suspend medical education for women and girls in all educational institutions this month, and more than 80 other discriminatory edicts, aim to silence their voices and to complete the erasure of all women and girls.

We reiterate our call on the Taliban to immediately stop and reverse their ongoing systemic abuses of human rights, particularly discriminatory policies and practices that restrict the enjoyment of women and girls’ human rights and fundamental freedoms.  Such abuses must end.  The Taliban must respect Afghanistan’s international obligations and commitments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and all relevant Security Council resolutions, including UNSC resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security.    

The status the Taliban seek is unattainable so long as it continues down this path.  The Security Council has made clear, including through resolutions 2593 (2021) and 2681 (2023), that the full, equal, meaningful, and safe participation of women and girls in Afghanistan, in all spheres of life, is crucial for Afghanistan’s development and future.  We urgently call for women to be included in key deliberations concerning the future of Afghanistan.  Countries and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) must work to promote a coherent approach to the Taliban and to the Afghan people.  

We concur with the unequivocal message the Special Representatives and Envoys on Afghanistan delivered during Doha Process meetings from June 30 to July 1 that human rights and inclusion in Afghanistan are inviolable.  We reiterate the Security Council’s unanimous condemnation of the Taliban edicts restricting women’s and girls’ enjoyment of their rights and its call for the edicts’ immediate reversal in UN Security Council resolution 2681.

The full, equal, meaningful, and safe participation of women and girls in all aspects of society and public life is indispensable.  Afghan women deserve to be, and want to be, educated, and able to meaningfully participate in the economy and all aspects of society.  We urge Member States to join us in using all tools at their disposal to reiterate our unanimity in demanding respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Afghans, including Afghan women and girls.