Joint Nordic-Baltic Statement on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan

UNITED NATIONS
HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

INTERACTIVE DIALOGUE

WITH HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, MICHELLE BACHELET, ON HER REPORT ON THE SITUATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN AFGHANISTAN

7 March 2022

Statement delivered by Iceland on behalf of the Nordic–Baltic countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden

Mr. President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic countries.

We welcome the High Commissioner’s report and this opportunity to highlight key concerns regarding the human rights situation in Afghanistan in the wake of the fall of the democratically elected Government.

Our countries have been actively engaged in efforts for the stabilisation and development of Afghanistan. We are deeply concerned by the findings of the report and the deterioration in the human rights situation, particularly by reports of arbitrary killings, violence and intimidation against peaceful protestors, journalists and other media workers, human rights defenders, persons associated with the previous government and persons belonging to ethnic, religious and sexual minorities.

Equally, we are gravely worried about the erosion of the enjoyment of the rights of women and girls, in particular their access to education, and the exclusion of women from political, social and economic spheres of Afghan society.

We express our strong support for the new mandate of a special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan.

Thank you.