Situation of Human Rights in Afghanistan

A/HRC/RES/48/1View PDF

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the Human Rights Council, under agenda item 2Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General, published in 2021.

What other versions does this mandate have?

16 versions · 1989–2025

This is an older version — the most recent is A/HRC/RES/60/2

2025A/HRC/RES/60/2Situation of human rights in AfghanistanLatestCompare with previous version
2024A/HRC/RES/57/3Situation of human rights in AfghanistanCompare with previous version
2023A/HRC/RES/54/1Situation of human rights in AfghanistanCompare with previous version
2022A/HRC/RES/51/20Situation of human rights in AfghanistanCompare with previous version
2021A/HRC/RES/48/1Situation of human rights in AfghanistanCompare with previous version

Versions are identified automatically by matching titles within the same organ (~97% accuracy on a manual audit).

What subjects does this mandate have?

8 topics

Accountability Afghanistan Human Rights Human Rights Violations Humanitarian Assistance Internal Security Special Rapporteurs Women's Rights

What does this mandate say?

23 operative paragraphs

Condemns in the strongest possible terms all human rights violations and abuses and violations of international humanitarian law committed in Afghanistan, in particular those involving summary or extrajudicial executions, arbitrary detentions, violence against peaceful protestors, journalists and media representatives, reprisals, raids on offices of non-governmental organizations and civil society groups, violations and abuses of the human rights of all women and girls, and persons belonging to ethnic and religious minorities, and the targeting of those who have worked for the Government of Afghanistan and former military personnel;

Calls for an immediate end to all human rights violations and abuses and violations of international humanitarian law in Afghanistan, for strict respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the rights to life, an adequate standard of living, including adequate food, housing, and safe drinking water and sanitation, to education, work, the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, freedom of peaceful assembly, and religion or belief, freedom of expression and the right to liberty of movement and freedom to leave the country, and for the protection of civilians and critical civilian infrastructure, particularly medical and educational facilities in the country;

Reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights by all women, girls and children in Afghanistan, including their right to freedom of movement, the right to education, the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, including their sexual and reproductive health, the right to work and the right of access to justice on an equal basis with others;

Condemns discrimination against women and girls in all its forms, and reminds all parties that all forms of sexual and gender-based violence, including violence against women and girls, and child, early and forced marriage constitute violations and abuses of their human rights and fundamental freedoms;

Calls for respect for and the promotion and protection of the right of everyone to take part in cultural life, including the ability to have access to and to enjoy cultural heritage, and urges all parties to refrain from any unlawful military use or targeting of cultural property;

Reiterates the urgency to initiate prompt, independent and impartial review of or investigation into all alleged violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law to end impunity, ensure accountability and bring perpetrators to justice;

Calls for the establishment of a government that is united, inclusive and representative, including with regard to gender and all ethnic and religious minorities, and ensuring the full, equal and meaningful participation of women and youth in decision-making positions;

Urges the international community to adjust further its engagement with any future Government of Afghanistan with regard to respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Afghans, including women, girls, children and persons belonging to ethnic and religious minorities, and respect for the rule of law, freedom of expression, including for members of the media, with specific attention to human rights defenders, as well as respect for the obligations of Afghanistan under international human rights law;

Underscores the need for and calls for further improvement in the living conditions of the Afghan people, and emphasizes the need for basic social services at the national, provincial and local levels, in particular education, clean water, sanitation, digital connectivity and public health services;

Expresses deep concern at the humanitarian situation, calls upon the international community to offer greater support, including in the context of the food security situation and the ongoing protection crisis, and urges all parties to allow immediate, safe and unhindered humanitarian access, including across conflict lines, to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches all those in need, particularly internally displaced persons and those in vulnerable situations, and to respect the independence of humanitarian agencies and guarantee the protection of humanitarian personnel, including female workers;

Encourages any future Government of Afghanistan to continue engagement and cooperation with the United Nations, including with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and other relevant United Nations entities;

Decides to appoint, for a period of one year, a special rapporteur to monitor the situation of human rights as it develops in Afghanistan, with the following mandate:

To report on the developing situation of human rights, and to make recommendations to improve it;

To assist in fulfilling the human rights obligations arising from international treaties that Afghanistan has ratified;

To offer support and advice to civil society;

To seek, receive, examine and act on information from all relevant stakeholders pertaining to the situation of human rights in Afghanistan;

To integrate a gender perspective and a survivor-centred approach throughout the work of the mandate;

To present a written report to the Human Rights Council at its fifty-first session and to the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session, in accordance with their respective programmes of work;

Also decides that, in order to provide the support necessary to the new mandate holder to initiate the mandate in the current particular circumstances, the mandate holder shall benefit from additional dedicated and specific expertise to be provided by the Office of the High Commissioner, in particular in the areas of fact-finding, legal analysis, the rights of women and girls and of persons belonging to minorities, the right to education, forensics, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;

Calls upon all relevant parties to cooperate fully with the Special Rapporteur, to grant unhindered access to the country without any delay and to provide the mandate holder with all information necessary to allow for the proper fulfilment of the mandate;

Requests the Office of the High Commissioner to provide the Special Rapporteur with the assistance and resources necessary for the effective fulfilment of the mandate;

Encourages the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to update the Human Rights Council on an intersessional basis, as deemed necessary, and in any case before the end of 2021, and requests the High Commissioner to present to the Human Rights Council, at its fiftieth session, an oral update on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, to be followed by an interactive dialogue;

Decides to remain seized of the matter.

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