Afghanistan gender apartheid: IBAHRI continues global awareness-raising campaign
The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) is actively engaging international actors, including United Nations mechanisms, parliaments and inter-parliamentary organisations, on the issue of gender apartheid, following the publication of SHATTERING WOMEN’S RIGHTS, SHATTERING LIVES: Parliamentary Ad-Hoc Inquiry Into The Situation Of Women And Girls In Afghanistan And Iran in 2024.
On 18 June 2025, Dr Ewelina Ochab, Senior Programme Lawyer with the IBAHRI, participated in a side event during the 59th Session of the UN Human Rights Council (running from 16 June–9 July 2025) at which she discussed the situation of the Hazara community, including the double and triple marginalisations and persecution of Hazara women. Dr Ochab presented the findings of the Hazara Inquiry and the outstanding actions to be taken, including bringing proceedings against the Taliban – as the de facto authorities of Afghanistan – before the International Court of Justice for violations of the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. IBAHRI Director Baroness Helena Kennedy LT KC is a member of the Inquiry team.
On 19 June, Dr Ochab addressed the Dutch Senate at a roundtable titled ‘Advancing Accountability, Human Rights, and Gender Justice’, organised by Parliamentarians for Global Action. She discussed legal and political pathways to accountability for violations committed in Afghanistan.
Between 19–21 June, Dr Ochab participated in the Second Parliamentary Conference on Interfaith Dialogue: Strengthening trust and embracing hope for our common future in Rome, Italy. The conference was organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Italian parliament in cooperation with Religions for Peace. The conference brought together speakers and members of parliament with representatives of religions, beliefs, governments, relevant UN bodies, international organisations, faith-based and civil society organisations, and academia. On 20 June, Dr Ochab issued an oral statement in the gender debate, where she raised the issue of the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan and the misuse of religion to justify their oppression.
On 24 June, Afghanistan was reviewed by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) Committee during its 91st Session. Dr Ochab made a written submission for the review, emphasising the Taliban’s violations of CEDAW and the abuse of religion to legitimise the mistreatment of women and girls.
As part of the awareness-raising campaign, Dr Ochab will also promote the IBAHRI toolkit for parliamentary engagement on gender apartheid. This guide aims to assist individuals and civil society organisations in advocating for parliamentary action on gender-based discrimination worldwide.
Commenting on these efforts, Dr Ochab stated: ‘Parliaments and parliamentarians across the world’s democracies play an important role in challenging their governments where they fail to act. As we see less and less governmental focus on the situation of Afghan women and girls, we need those in power to challenge this inaction and ensure that governments revive their efforts to support women and girls in Afghanistan. Without this collective, international pushback, the Taliban will succeed in their removal of women and girls from society. We must stand with women and girls of Afghanistan.’
At the time of writing, the Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Mr Haibatullah Akhundzada, Supreme Leader of the Taliban, and Mr Abdul Hakim Haqqani, Chief Justice of the Taliban, who have exercised de facto authority in Afghanistan from at least 15 August 2021. In an article for Forbes Magazine, Dr Ochab included this development.
ENDS
Contact: IBAHRI@int-bar.org
Notes to the Editor
- Related items:
- The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), established in 1995 under Founding Honorary President Nelson Mandela, is an autonomous entity working to promote, protect and enforce human rights under a just rule of law, and to preserve the independence of the judiciary and the legal profession worldwide.
- Find the IBAHRI on social media here:
- The International Bar Association (IBA), the global voice of the legal profession, is the foremost organisation for international legal practitioners, bar associations and law societies. Established in 1947, shortly after the creation of the United Nations, with the aim of protecting and promoting the rule of law globally, the IBA was born out of the conviction that an organisation made up of the world's bar associations could contribute to global stability and peace through the administration of justice.
- Find the IBA on social media here:
Short link: tinyurl.com/bdhhfwt8
Full link: www.ibanet.org/Afghanistan-gender-apartheid-IBAHRI-continues-global-awareness-raising-campaign