Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, issued a severe warning about the deteriorating situation of women in Afghanistan during the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council held on Monday, June 16, 2025.
He expressed grave concern that Afghan women and girls have been completely eliminated from public life, with their situation continuously worsening.
The High Commissioner also emphasized that LGBTQ+ individuals and people with disabilities in Afghanistan face serious threats under the current regime.
Türk regretfully noted that humanitarian support budgets from several countries for Afghan women have decreased, despite the growing need for such assistance in these critical times.
At the same meeting, Richard Bennett, Special Rapporteur for the Human Rights Council on Afghanistan, presented his latest report on access to justice and protection of Afghan women and girls.
While warning about the deteriorating conditions for women under Taliban rule, he called for the establishment of a new independent mechanism for accountability in this area to address ongoing human rights violations.
