Six countries refer women’s rights violations in Afghanistan to the International Criminal Court

Chile, Costa Rica, Spain, France, Luxembourg and Mexico have brought the case of women’s rights violations in Afghanistan to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

These six countries on Thursday asked the ICC prosecutor to investigate the continued and systematic violations of the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.

Chile’s Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday (November 28) that due to the deteriorating conditions and plight of women and girls in Afghanistan, the case had been referred to the ICC.

This highlights international concern over the country’s worsening human rights crisis.

According to the report, the ICC prosecutor resumed investigations into Afghanistan in 2022, after halting them in 2020 at the request of Afghan officials. This recovery highlights the urgency of addressing ongoing human rights violations in the country.

The six countries involved in the referral have specifically asked the ICC to focus on the situation of Afghan women and girls, who face constant and systematic violations of their rights. They urged the prosecutor to take into account crimes committed against women and girls since the Taliban regained power in 2021.

The referral to the ICC marks an important step in the international community’s response to human rights violations in Afghanistan. If investigations reveal evidence of crimes against Afghan women and girls, it could lead to increased political and diplomatic pressure on the current administration, including possible international condemnations and sanctions.

The plight of Afghan women and girls has become a subject of international concern. Restrictions on their fundamental rights, including access to education, work and public life, have led to a serious humanitarian crisis.

Referring this case to the ICC could not only lead to greater international scrutiny of the Taliban’s actions, but could also pave the way for legal consequences for the leaders responsible for these widespread violations.