UN Authority Figures

UN Economic and Social Council: Afghanistan

Afghan women fear renewed chapter of Sharia law and regression of rights under Taliban's thumb
Source: Fox News, July 24, 2019. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Mission of the Economic and Social Council: "The Economic and Social Council is at the heart of the United Nations system to advance the three dimensions of sustainable development – economic, social and environmental. It is the central platform for fostering debate and innovative thinking, forging consensus on ways forward, and coordinating efforts to achieve internationally agreed goals." (ECOSOC website, "About Us")

Term of office: 2022-2024

Afghanistan's Record on "social development" and "fostering debate":
"Significant human rights issues included:... extrajudicial killings by security forces;... arbitrary detention by government security forces and insurgents; serious abuse in internal conflict, including killing of civilians, enforced disappearances and abductions, torture and physical abuses, and other conflict-related abuses; serious acts of corruption; lack of investigation of and accountability for cases of violence against women, including those accused of so-called moral crimes; recruitment and use of child soldiers and sexual abuse of children, including by security force members and educational personnel;"
(U.S. State Department's Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2020, Afghanistan)