Source: European Parliament
The recent so-called law on the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice or morality law of the Taliban confirms and extends severe restrictions on the life of Afghans, and in particular women and girls.
On 26 August 2024, the High Representative/Vice-President issued a statement[1] on behalf of the EU to strongly condemn this appalling development.
The EU uses all its tools to support Afghan women and girls. Through its assistance, delivered under a ‘by women for women’ approach — ensuring women play a meaningful role in all aspects of aid interventions[2].
The EU is also engaged with Afghanistan civil society and — through principled engagement based on the five benchmarks set by the Council[3] — with Taliban representatives.
The EU seizes every opportunity to advocate for the fundamental rights of Afghan women and girls, including in the United Nations-led process, calling the Taliban to respect Afghanistan’s international obligations. The EU has also adopted restrictive measures under the EU global human rights sanctions regime[4] against Taliban senior representatives.
The EU cannot initiate proceedings before the International Criminal Court (ICC) as the EU is not a party to the Rome Statute[5]. As per the ICC website, on 31 October 2022, Pre-Trial Chamber II of the ICC authorised the prosecution to resume investigation into the Afghanistan situation.
Since the Taliban takeover, the EU has shown strong commitment to provide protection and safe passage to Afghans at risk, including to a large number of women and human rights defenders.
The Afghan situation is an explicit priority for the EU-supported resettlement and humanitarian admission scheme for 2024-2025.
The Commission continues to support Member States’ efforts and to engage with international partners in different fora, so to strengthen the collaboration on resettlement and other available pathways for Afghans at risk.
- [1] https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2024/08/26/afghanistan-statement-of-the-high-representative-on-behalf-of-the-eu-on-latest-restrictions-imposed-by-the-taliban-on-the-people/?utm_source=brevo&utm_campaign=AUTOMATED%20-%20Alert%20-%20Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_id=320
- [2] For further information on EU assistance see Directorate-General for International Partnership (INTPA) website : https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/countries/afghanistan_en ; and
Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) website:
https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/where/asia-and-pacific/afghanistan_en - [3] https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-11713-2021-REV-2/en/pdf
- [4] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L:2023:069I:FULL ; https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L:2023:183I:FULL
- [5] Nevertheless, the EU aims to advance universal support for the Rome Statute, as per Council Decision 2011/168/CFSP: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32011D0168