On October 6, 2025, the United Nations Human Rights Council made a decisive move that could reshape the pursuit of justice in Afghanistan. In a rare show of unity—save for China’s abstention—the Council agreed to establish an ongoing, independent investigative mechanism to monitor and document human rights violations in Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power over four years ago. The measure, introduced by the European Union and adopted without a formal vote, signals a new chapter in the international community’s response to Afghanistan’s deepening crisis.
The resolution, described by the European Union as a "significant step" toward accountability, aims to collect, consolidate, preserve, and analyze evidence of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other grave abuses. Its core focus: the Taliban’s systematic repression of women and girls, which rights groups and UN experts say amounts to gender persecution and, in some cases, crimes against humanity.
"Four years since the Taliban takeover by force, the human rights situation has only deteriorated amidst a deepening humanitarian crisis," Denmark’s ambassador Ib Petersen told the Council, introducing the resolution on behalf of the EU. Petersen emphasized that the Taliban have "entrenched repression" and "laid waste to civic space in Afghanistan," arguing, "This council has a duty to react and stand in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan."
The new investigative body is modeled on similar mechanisms established by the UN for Syria and Myanmar—both widely recognized as among the organization’s most robust tools for confronting impunity. Its broad mandate covers not only Taliban abuses but also violations committed by former government officials, warlords, international forces, and non-state armed groups. The mechanism will document violations, identify those responsible, and prepare case files for potential use in national and international courts, including the International Criminal Court (ICC).
According to Human Rights Watch, this move follows four years of relentless advocacy by Afghan and international human rights groups. In August, HRD+, a network of Afghan human rights defenders supported by more than 100 organizations, renewed its call for just such a mechanism. Fereshta Abbasi, Human Rights Watch’s Afghanistan researcher, applauded the Council’s decision, stating, "Countries at the UN Human Rights Council have together sent a strong message of their resolve to ensure that those responsible for serious international crimes in Afghanistan now or in the past will one day face justice." Abbasi added, "It’s crucial for the new mechanism to get up and running quickly."
The urgency is palpable. Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, they have imposed sweeping restrictions on women’s rights, curtailed freedom of expression, and silenced dissent—all under the justification of their interpretation of Islamic law. Afghan women are now barred from most professions, cannot travel without a male chaperone, are banned from studying after the age of 12, and are prohibited from walking in parks or going to gyms. The Council’s resolution "deplores the Taliban's institutionalisation of its system of discrimination, segregation, domination, disrespect for human dignity and exclusion of women and girls."
Colombia’s ambassador Gustavo Gallon was blunt: Afghan women and girls are facing institutionalized repression "which simply aims to delete them from public life." The suffering extends beyond gender discrimination—"All of the Afghan population are suffering in a climate of hunger, displacement and repression," Colombia’s representative declared, highlighting the breadth of the crisis.
The Taliban’s overhaul of Afghanistan’s legal system has only worsened the plight of women and girls. Special rapporteur Richard Bennett reported last month that the Taliban have "weaponized" the legal and judicial system to oppress women and girls, suspending laws that protected their rights—including one that criminalized 22 forms of violence against women, such as rape and forced marriage. Bennett noted that the Taliban dismissed all judges from the previous government, including 270 women, replacing them with men who often lack legal training and issue rulings based on Taliban edicts.
The resolution’s impact could be far-reaching. By mandating investigators to gather evidence for possible court proceedings, the UN is positioning itself to address abuses from all sides—a move that rights advocates say could finally break Afghanistan’s "entrenched cycle of impunity." The mechanism’s files could serve as the foundation for future prosecutions in both Afghan and international courts. The ICC has already issued arrest warrants for two senior Taliban officials on charges of crimes against humanity for gender persecution.
Not everyone is on board. China, while not formally opposing the resolution, opted out of the consensus and voiced strong reservations. Wang Nian, China’s envoy to the Council, argued that Afghanistan has "taken various measures for stability, economic growth and improvement of people's livelihoods. The overall security situation has remained stable." Wang insisted the resolution "failed to acknowledge the positive progress" and "lacks balance." China’s position reflects broader political hesitations within the Council, as some states weigh the moral imperative of justice against concerns over sovereignty, financial burden, and potential geopolitical fallout.
The Taliban, for their part, are expected to reject the probe outright, maintaining that their governance is consistent with religious principles. Meanwhile, the United States and its NATO allies—including Britain and Australia—support scrutiny of Taliban abuses but have historically resisted investigations into their own military actions in Afghanistan. The result is a delicate dance: a global effort to confront injustice that must also navigate a minefield of political sensitivities and competing interests.
The European Union, however, has made its priorities clear. The adoption of the resolution "by consensus" is, in the words of Human Rights Watch’s Abbasi, "a powerful message against double standards for justice." The resolution directs the UN secretary-general to expedite the mechanism’s creation, even amid the organization’s financial constraints, and calls for close cooperation with the ICC. An EU spokesperson told AFP the mechanism "will be able to preserve testimonies and stories of victims," ensuring that the voices of Afghans are not lost to history.
For many Afghans and their advocates, the Council’s decision represents a long-awaited moment of reckoning. As Abbasi noted, "The UN must ensure this mechanism becomes operational as soon as possible." The hope is that, by shining a light on abuses and preparing the groundwork for justice, the world can offer some measure of accountability—and perhaps, in time, a path toward healing for a nation scarred by decades of conflict and repression.
The UN Human Rights Council’s new probe stands as a testament to the power of international solidarity and the enduring demand for justice, even in the face of daunting odds.
