The “Inclusive” coalition of Afghan women activists has addressed an open letter to participants of the G7 meeting in Canada and the high-ranking officials’ meeting in Brussels, calling for practical actions to support Afghan women and combat what they term as “gender apartheid” under Taliban rule. The organization expressed deep concern about structural setbacks in women’s rights and urged the international community to pressure the Taliban for their widespread human rights violations.
The letter’s signatories have called for the establishment of a “comprehensive accountability mechanism” for Afghanistan, including expediting the registration of gender apartheid as a crime against humanity in the International Criminal Court.
They have also requested the appointment of a UN Special Representative for Afghanistan who would be based outside the country but maintain contact with all groups inside Afghanistan, not limited to engagement with the Taliban.
The letter emphasizes that humanitarian aid should not become a tool to pressure the Afghan people, and fair distribution of this assistance must be guaranteed through monitoring and without ethnic discrimination. The Inclusive coalition has also asked neighboring countries to organize the situation of undocumented Afghan refugees and provide conditions for their voluntary and safe return if “peace and opportunity” are established in Afghanistan.