441-02386 (Foreign affairs)

The situation Afghans are facing – particularly women and girls – is absolutely terrible. Afghan women and girls make enormous contributions to their country. Achieving peace, stability and economic development requires them to participate equally in shaping Afghanistan’s future. Canada condemns the suppression of women’s liberty; as the Taliban continue these escalating acts of discrimination, the prospects for a better life are being denied to Afghan women and girls. The ban on education beyond sixth grade for Afghan girls is particularly egregious – this is a human right that every woman and every girl is entitled to.

Canada supports all efforts to ensure accountability for violations of international law in Afghanistan and the de facto Taliban authorities’ treatment of women and girls. Canada is actively engaged with partners, including civil society organizations and stakeholders to denounce the Taliban’s horrific and continuous violations of human rights, preserve and advance women’s rights, and call for a strong international response to these violations. Along with many likeminded allies, Canada will continue to condemn the mounting restrictions and intimidation faced by Afghan women and girls and to urge the Taliban to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Afghans.

As part of a commitment to defending and promoting the rights of Afghan women and girls, Canada continues to condemn reported human rights violations in Afghanistan at the United Nations (UN) and other multilateral forums both in its national capacity and jointly with its international partners. Canada uses every opportunity to call on the Taliban to reverse all restrictions imposed on women and girls, including through Canada’s Special Representative for Afghanistan. Canada has made it clear to the Taliban that without this, relations will not be normalized.

Canada also strongly supports the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, whose role Canada helped establish and strengthen. Canada pays close attention to the Special Rapporteur’s findings and recommendations and will continue to advocate for a concerted and comprehensive response to these findings by the international community. In line with the Special Rapporteur’s recommendations in his June 2023 report, Canada endorses all measures to ensure a full investigation of any potential acts of gender persecution targeting Afghan women and girls.   

This includes the ongoing investigation by the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) of the International Criminal Court (ICC) into the situation in Afghanistan, for which the Prosecutor confirmed that the systematic oppression of women and girls in Afghanistan by the Taliban may amount to Rome Statute crimes. This would encompass the crime against humanity of gender persecution. With respect to the decisions taken on the conduct of the investigation, Canada respects the independence of the Prosecutor and his Office. As a steadfast supporter and founding member of the ICC, Canada also contributes to all ICC initiatives aimed at advancing gender equality issues. For instance, Canada helped shape the ICC OTP recent policy papers on the Crime of Gender Persecution and on Gender-Based Crimes. Canada is also contributing $2 million to assist the ICC OTP’s Trust Fund for the enhancement of dedicated and specialised capacity with respect to investigations into crimes of sexual and gender-based violence and crimes against and affecting children.  

In the multilateral sphere, Canada brings its expertise to bear and leverages its influence to help advance human rights and gender equality. Among other international engagements, Canada actively participated, over the past two years, in the discussions related to the Draft Articles on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Humanity which took place in the context of the Sixth Committee (6C) of the United Nations General Assembly. In this context and elsewhere, including the work of the United Nations Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls, Canada is closely following the ongoing discussions surrounding the concept of “gender apartheid,” which is not currently defined under international law.