UN Security Council Warns of Deepening Human Rights Crisis in Afghanistan

The UN Security Council warns Afghanistan’s human rights situation is sharply deteriorating as new restrictions intensify pressure on women, journalists, civil society and daily freedoms.

The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday, 10 December, voiced deep concern over Afghanistan’s worsening human rights situation and urged the Taliban to reverse policies that have intensified the country’s humanitarian and economic crises.

Georgette Gagnon, acting head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), told the Council that women and girls remain largely excluded from education, employment, and public life. She warned that tightening media restrictions and growing enforcement of the Taliban’s “morality” codes are increasingly shaping daily life for millions of Afghans.

Gagnon said the Taliban’s reluctance to engage constructively with international partners, combined with divisions among UN member states, has diminished global leverage and risks pushing Afghanistan into deeper isolation. She noted that several opportunities for cooperation have either stalled or been dismissed, leaving donors increasingly frustrated.

The humanitarian crisis is worsening, according to UN humanitarian coordinator Tom Fletcher, who reported that 17.4 million Afghans face acute food insecurity. She added that 2.6 million people have returned from abroad this year amid collapsing essential services and severe funding shortages ahead of winter.

The United States told the Council that the Taliban’s policies are directly responsible for the country’s suffering, insisting the group “cannot be trusted” in negotiations. Washington urged caution in any diplomatic engagement with the authorities in Kabul.

Representatives from Russia, China, Pakistan, and others raised concerns about the security situation, pointing to continued activity by ISIS-K, ETIM, and TTP. They called for greater regional coordination and credible Taliban cooperation to prevent cross-border militancy.

The Council concluded that only an inclusive political process can bring long-term stability. Afghanistan Representative Faiq urged the international community to use its leverage to push the Taliban toward meaningful political dialogue involving a broad spectrum of Afghanistan democratic actors.

Members warned that Afghanistan remains dangerously fragile, with entrenched poverty, human rights abuses, and sweeping restrictions on women heightening the risk of further isolation. They stressed that sustained international pressure, balanced with principled engagement, is essential to steering the country toward a durable solution.

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