Germany and allied nations have threatened the Taliban in Afghanistan with legal action at the International Court of Justice in The Hague due to severe human rights violations against women and girls. According to a draft statement reviewed by the German news agency (DPA) in New York, under the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which Afghanistan is a party to, Germany, Australia, Canada, and the Netherlands officially remind the Taliban of their obligation to cease these violations.
The statement specified that “if this does not lead to results within a reasonable period, the first step will be arbitration procedures, and ultimately, the dispute may be referred to the International Court of Justice. The statement emphasized that “women and girls in Afghanistan deserve nothing less than the full enjoyment of their human rights.”
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock plans to meet today, Wednesday, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York with her Australian counterpart Penny Wong, Canadian counterpart Melanie Joly, and Dutch Foreign Minister Kasper Veldkamp to discuss this matter.
Baerbock has repeatedly criticized that since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, systemic and institutional discrimination has led to an unprecedented violation of the fundamental rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.
It’s noteworthy that the International Court of Justice is the highest court in the United Nations, located at the Peace Palace in The Hague. Its purpose is to resolve disputes between states. Its rulings are binding and not subject to appeal. However, the court does not have the authority to enforce its rulings on the losing state.
