76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly
WPS side-event on Enhancing International Cooperation in Support of Afghan Women and Girls
Statement by Ambassador Sven Jürgenson
October 21, New York
I thank all Afghan women present here today for their direct for words and their courage.
Our focus on Afghanistan, including the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan, needs to continue – it cannot fade from the centre of discussions at the UN or the international community at large.
The Taliban has made a number of statements regarding respect for human rights – and we ask nothing more than for them to live up to this promise. Human rights are universal and no culture or religion can be invoked as a justification for human rights violations or abuses.
We underline the importance of continued human rights monitoring, including through the UN treaty bodies and special procedures. There needs to be continued OHCHR presence in Afghanistan along with other relevant UN agencies.
We welcome the establishment of the UN special rapporteur on Afghanistan and look forward to the timely appointment of the mandate-holder and the team supporting them.
All these mechanisms require resources and access, as well as the support of the countries in the region. We also need to make sure that those engaging with the UN do not face reprisals and there are means to address the risks faced by them.
Estonia has participated in the stabilization and rebuilding of Afghanistan for nearly two decades, focusing on improving the situation of women and children. Our cooperation with any Afghanistan leadership will be based upon its willingness to act by the norms and standards of international law, including international human rights law.
We underline the importance of full, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access. We cannot deny the reality that humanitarian assistance will not reach the most vulnerable, unless women humanitarian workers can do their work without restrictions and fear.
Estonia stands ready to provide humanitarian assistance via international organisations and has already made a contribution to support ICRC’s humanitarian operations in Afghanistan.
In our interaction we need to continue to insist on hearing from and engaging women. This includes all spheres of life, including political. Here I recall that the Security Council, where Estonia together with Norway is a co-penholder on Afghanistan, has jointly noted that for peace to be sustainable in Afghanistan, an inclusive, negotiated political settlement must be reached with the full, equal and meaningful participation of women.