Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

164. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide a report on his efforts to alleviate the repression of people, particularly women, in Afghanistan; the engagements he has had in support of these efforts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15157/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Ireland has consistently condemned the gross, widespread and systematic human rights abuses by the Taliban across Afghanistan, particularly against women, girls and individuals from marginalised communities. My commitment and that of the Government to this issue, and particularly the systematic gender persecution now being perpetrated by the Taliban against women and girls in Afghanistan, is well known and has been clearly set out in "Securing our Future".

My advocacy and that of the Taoiseach in raising the appalling human rights situation in Afghanistan is extensive. Ireland, with the then Tánaiste and UN Secretary General Guterres in attendance, hosted a side event at UN High Level Week in September 2024, to highlight the inclusion of women in the future of Afghanistan. The issue is regularly raised in appropriate international human rights fora such as the UN Human Rights Council, including on 28 February at the current HRC session where we delivered a statement denouncing the Taliban’s continued enforcement of restrictive decrees that curtail the human rights of women and girls, including the recent suspension of medical education for women by the Taliban. The Government has also been active at the recent session in New York of the Commission on the Status of Women, during which Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill held a meeting with the Afghan Women’s Forum on 12 March. Ireland also took a lead role in securing agreement within the EU Political and Security Committee earlier this month tasking the EU External Action Service to propose further measures to improve EU leverage on the current situation.

Restrictive measures introduced by the Taliban have disproportionately impacted on women and girls, severely limiting their access to health, education and employment and leading to increased levels of early and forced marriage and child labour. In response, I recently announced €3 million in funding to the UN OCHA-managed Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund which works to support the strategic priorities identified in the UN Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) for Afghanistan, including the specific needs of women and girls. We are also providing €1 million to the UNHCR Afghanistan Refugee Regional Response which supports Afghan refugees and host communities in neighbouring states, including in their work to provide educational assistance to Afghan women and girls.

In line with the commitment in "Securing our Future", Ireland will remain active in ensuring the appalling human rights situation confronting women and girls and marginalised groups within Afghanistan continues to receive appropriate international attention, including through coordination with our EU and like-minded international partners.