WASHINGTON: Human Rights Watch (HRW) has warned that ties with the Taliban without clear and measurable human rights benchmarks amount to a betrayal of Afghan human rights, as a UN expert highlighted the devastating impact of nearly five years of Taliban rule on Afghan children and young people.
HRW issued the warning in a statement to the UN Human Rights Council on Monday, urging countries not to normalise engagement with the Taliban unless the regime meets specific and verifiable human rights standards.
The organisation called on states to recognise gender apartheid as a crime against humanity and support efforts by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to prosecute those responsible for gender persecution and other grave international crimes in Afghanistan.
The warning came as Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, presented a new report on the impact of Taliban policies on children.
Bennett said the Taliban’s institutionalised system of discrimination, repression and ideological control was depriving Afghan children of inclusive and quality education, freedom of expression and meaningful participation in social and public life.
“Afghanistan’s children are growing up in an environment where discrimination, especially against girls and women, is being normalised,” Bennett said, warning that children were being denied the right to learn while their opportunities for the future were rapidly shrinking.
He expressed particular concern over the continued exclusion of girls from education beyond the sixth grade and their increasing exposure to gender-based violence, forced and child marriage, child labour and ideological indoctrination.
Systematic denial of education
“These policies are not only violating children’s rights today – they are undermining their ability to determine their own futures,” Bennett said. He warned that the systematic denial of education was particularly damaging for girls, with potentially lasting consequences for their mental health and Afghanistan’s future development.
According to Bennett, the abuses are taking place against a backdrop of decades of conflict, widespread poverty and unmet humanitarian needs. The dismantling or weakening of institutions that previously protected children’s rights has exposed them to greater risks of violence, abuse and exploitation, he said.
Children living in poverty or remote areas, those with disabilities, members of marginalised religious and ethnic communities, and displaced children and returnees are among the most vulnerable, Bennett added.
The UN expert also warned that restrictions on media, culture and freedom of expression were limiting the diversity of ideas and experiences available to Afghan children.
“Children need space to learn, to think freely, to express themselves and imagine a different future,” he said, noting that many were instead growing up in fear, isolation and uncertainty.
Bennett cautioned that restrictions and limited educational opportunities were contributing to a growing sense of despair, potentially creating future security challenges and fuelling another migration crisis.
At the same time, he stressed that Afghan children should not be viewed solely as victims, highlighting their resilience and determination to support their families and communities while pursuing alternative forms of learning.
Bennett urged the Taliban to end discriminatory policies, restore comprehensive education for girls, strengthen child protection and justice systems, prevent child and forced marriage and child labour, prohibit corporal punishment, and restore inclusive healthcare and social protection for children with disabilities.
He also called on the international community to fully fund humanitarian assistance, expand alternative education for girls and establish safe pathways for Afghans at risk. He urged continued support for mine-action programmes, youth initiatives and international accountability efforts.
Socio-economic collapse
“Five years of restrictive rule and socio-economic collapse have fundamentally altered the conditions in which Afghanistan’s children are growing up,” Bennett said.
“The international community must act now to protect their rights and ensure that present and future generations are not deprived of the opportunity to shape Afghanistan’s future.”
HRW separately warned that gender persecution had become further entrenched over the past year, saying the Taliban had dismantled already limited legal protections for women and girls. “Since 2021, Taliban authorities have systematically deprived women and girls of their fundamental rights,” the organisation said.
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HRW pointed to a new criminal procedure code that recognises only “excessive” beating as domestic violence against women, potentially leaving survivors of other forms of abuse without effective avenues for justice. It also said a decree concerning judicial separation had removed minimum-age protections for girls’ marriage.
The rights group said journalists, human rights defenders, peaceful protesters and former government employees continued to face arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture and other serious abuses.
HRW urged UN member states to renew Bennett’s mandate and provide his office with adequate resources to independently monitor and report on Afghanistan. It also called for the urgent operationalisation of the Human Rights Council’s new independent accountability mechanism for the country.
The organisation further called on governments not to forcibly return people to Afghanistan, where it said persecution remained systematic and well documented. It also urged support for ICC efforts to prosecute those responsible for gender persecution and other grave international crimes. “Afghan victims, survivors and their families have waited far too long for truth, justice, and reparation,” HRW said.
Separately, UN Secretary-General António Guterres renewed his call on the Taliban to lift restrictions preventing Afghan women working for the UN from entering its premises and carrying out their duties.
I remain deeply concerned by the continuing discriminatory policies imposed by the Taliban on Afghan women & girls, which affect every aspect of their lives.
Restrictions on their full participation in public life, education & many areas of work violate their fundamental rights…
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) September 8, 2026
The UN has warned that the restrictions are hampering its ability to deliver assistance and services to the Afghan population, particularly women and girls.
The warnings from Bennett, HRW and Guterres come as the Taliban approaches five years in power, with the UN expert warning that the regime’s policies are affecting not only the rights of Afghans today but also the prospects of an entire generation of children.
