MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the deteriorating situation of women in Afghanistan due to the recent adoption of the law on the “Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice”

B10‑0050/2024

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the deteriorating situation of women in Afghanistan due to the recent adoption of the law on the “Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice”

(2024/2803(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Afghanistan,

– having regard to Rule 150 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. Whereas since taking over the country, the Taliban have virtually eliminated women and girls from public life; whereas restrictions on their rights include barring them from access to work, travel and healthcare without a male relative, limiting education beyond sixth grade, denying access to public places and sports, violently enforcing a strict dress code, and dismantling the support system for victims of violence;

B. Whereas in July 2024 the so-called Law on Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice was issued, which further extends severe restrictions on the life of Afghans imposed by the Taliban, including imposed dress codes, notably ordering women to cover their bodies and faces in public, obligation to travel everywhere with a mahram and prohibiting women from being heard in public ; whereas the new legislation gives the power of the so-called Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice to enforce the decree; 

1. Condemns the Taliban’s radical interpretation and enforcement of Sharia law and the attempted erasure of women and girls from public life, which amounts to gender persecution and gender apartheid; denounces the new legislation further restricting the already limited rights of women and girls; calls for the immediate reinstatement of full, equal and meaningful participation of women and girls in public life, particularly access to education and work; commends the courage of Afghanistan’s women and stands in solidarity with them; 

2. Urges the Afghan de-facto authorities to put an end to the systemic and systematic abuses against Afghan women and girls, which may amount to gender persecution, a crime against humanity under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, to which Afghanistan is a State Party;

3. Underlines that the cumulative effect of the body of  repressive legislation adopted since the takeover of power in August 2021 by the Taliban perpetuate a climate of fear and repression that affects every segment of the Afghan society, but in particular woman and girls; furthermore reminds of the prevailing cycle of impunity for violations of human rights, which further emboldens the oppressive regime; 

4. Supports the effort of women working to limit the harm of this law, by negotiating the degree of its implementation, which can vary across regions;  

5. Insists on maintaining strict and conditional engagement with the Taliban based on the five benchmarks set by the Council and in accordance with the UN Special Rapporteur’s recommendations; 

6. Supports the calls of Afghan civil society to hold the de-facto authorities accountable for their crimes, particularly via the ICC investigation, by establishing an UN Independent Investigative Mechanism, and by expanding EU restrictive measures;

7. Calls on all members of the international community and in particular regional actors to keep pressure on the de-facto Afghan authorities;

8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the HR/VP, Member States, the UN, and the de facto authorities of Afghanistan.