WRITTEN QUESTION E-0088/01

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(1 February 2001)

Subject: Position of the EU on the persecution of Afghan women in their own country by the Taliban regime

The eye-witness accounts received from Afghanistan and the reports of Amnesty International and the UN Commission on Human Rights confirm that under the Taliban regime, whose policies in general are deplorable, involving cruel and barbarous forms of repression that affect the entire population, women are living in a state of slavery or are treated as domestic animals: their rights are systematically violated and they are subjected to highly degrading treatment in every sphere of life, under a regime which represents the antipodes of all civilised behaviour. What political action is the EU taking against those in power in Afghanistan to remedy the appalling situation of the country's women? Are the measures being taken proportionate to the Union's political and economic influence and the gravity of the situation which these unfortunate women are obliged to suffer?

Reply

(14 May 2001)

The Council fully shares the Honourable Parliamentarian's preoccupations concerning the suffering of Afghan women under the Taliban regime.

The Council deplores that, in spite of the continued efforts of the Union and the international community, the sad reality on the ground shows that the Taliban remain so far insensitive to arguments and pressure from the outside. Both parties to the conflict pursue military operations and a political solution to the conflict remains distant. In this overall context, the prospects for an urgently needed improvement of the appalling human rights situation remain, unfortunately, gloomy.

The Taliban control approximately 90 percent of the Afghan territory. However, given the frequently changing military situation in Afghanistan, the Council does not have precise indications as to how many women are subjected to the regime in Kabul at any specific point in time. Furthermore, the disastrous humanitarian and human rights situation in the country have resulted in a massive exodus of refugees to neighbouring countries, in particular to Iran and to Pakistan, which makes the assessment of the demographic situation in Afghanistan even more difficult. The Council has frequently raised the critical situation of Afghan refugees with host countries in the region and will continue to do so, and the Community, as well as many member states, will also continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the Afghans, whenever conditions allow. Women benefit from most of this assistance.

The recently updated Common Position of 25 January 2001 remains the basis for the Union's policy towards Afghanistan. The Union pursues its efforts to bring about a lasting peace, to put an end to foreign intervention and to encourage intra-Afghan dialogue. The Union puts particular emphasis on the promotion of respect for international humanitarian law and human rights, including the rights of women and children.

To this end, the Union will continue to:

- call on all parties to recognise, protect and promote all human rights and fundamental freedoms and also to respect the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to which Afghanistan has subscribed;

- urge Afghan factions to end discriminatory policies and recognise, protect and promote the equal rights and dignity of men and women, including access to education and health facilities, employment, personal security and freedom from intimidation and harassment. In this context, the Union will also emphasise the negative implications of discriminatory policies for the effective supply of aid;

- support the UN secretary General's proposals relating to the operation of civilian human rights monitors in the Civil Affairs Unit of the UNSMA;

- support aid programmes in Afghanistan which integrate gender concerns and actively attempt to promote the equitable participation of both men and women, and which promote peace and human rights;

- attach special importance to human rights aspects in the international co-ordination of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.

The Council hopes that the latest sanctions on the basis of UNSCR 1333, which the Council is currently examining with a view to the adoption, at the earliest possible date, of the corresponding common position and EC-regulation, will contribute to reduce outside interference and to promote a negotiated settlement of the Afghan conflict.