Members of the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) hold an exchange of views on women’s and girls’ rights in Afghanistan in the European Parliament in Brussels. The debate focuses on the risks faced by women and girls under Taliban, prospects for the future, and the EU's activities to support women and girls. The meeting is organised jointly with the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) and in association with the Delegation for relations with Afghanistan. Opening statements by Maria ARENA (S&D, BE), DROI Chair.

Brussels

exchange of views

statement

meeting

Subcommittee on Human Rights

EU - Afghanistan (T)

ARENA, Maria (S&D, BE)

violence against women (T)

Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality

Exchange of views on women’s and girls’ rights in Afghanistan in DROI/FEMM committees: opening statements by Maria ARENA (S&D, BE), DROI Chair

Title: Exchange of views on women&#8217;s and girls&#8217; rights in Afghanistan in DROI/FEMM committees: opening statements by Maria ARENA (S&amp;D, BE), DROI Chair

SOUNDBITE (French), Maria ARENA (S&amp;D, BE), DROI Chair, So now I'd like to move on to the next item on our agenda, which is an exchange of views on women's and girls rights in Afghanistan. As you know, the situation is very serious in Afghanistan. We've all seen it. The evacuation is finished or the presence of the military while they're not there anymore. And there's certain human rights defenders and women's rights defenders not being able to leave Afghanistan. And we're particularly concerned for their security. It seems more and more likely that the Taliban will re-establish their vision of human rights and women's rights. So that would be a restriction on what women and human rights defenders will be able to do. Even if progresses were made, that was fragile and limited. There was hope for further improvements and it seems it has been dissipated now.

SOUNDBITE (French), Maria ARENA (S&amp;D, BE), DROI Chair, Now, I'd like to welcome all of our speakers who know the situation of Afghanistan intimately. We have an ambassador, the head of the EU delegation to Afghanistan who coordinated EU action through the evacuation. And we're very grateful to you for your action that we were able to speak to Shaharzad Akbar, chairperson of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, in the past. But I don't think anyone could have predicted how quickly things would deteriorate in Afghanistan recently. And Miss Akbar also spoke in the U.N. Human Rights Council meeting on Afghanistan, where the EU unsuccessfully tried to create a monitoring mechanism for human rights in Afghanistan.

SOUNDBITE (French), Maria ARENA (S&amp;D, BE), DROI Chair, We also have Guissou Jahangiri, who also knows the situation as an Afghan and vice president of the International Federation for Human Rights. Sahraa Karimi can tell us about her first first hand experience on the situation of artists under the Taliban regime. And finally, Chiara ADAMO a acting director for Human development, Migration, Governance and Peace in the Commission's director general for International Partnerships can tell us about the commission's activities in Afghanistan.

SOUNDBITE (French), Maria ARENA (S&amp;D, BE), DROI Chair, I also have the pleasure of chairing this with the chair of the committee, Evelin Regnant. I'll give you the floor if you're connected, please.

SOUNDBITE (French), Maria ARENA (S&amp;D, BE), DROI Chair, Since she's not connected, but she will be with us in a few moments, I believe so. While we wait for her to join us in the room, let's not waste time. So I'd like to give the floor straightaway to Andreas von Brandt, ambassador, head of the EU delegation to Afghanistan. You have the floor. We we were hoping to visit Afghanistan when it was decided that we were going to when the evacuation was decided on. Thank you again for your work. And now you have the floor, sir.