Remarks by Ambassador Haidari at Conference: “Displacement and Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan: Four Years of Exclusion, Resistance, and the Global Responsibility to Act”

August 13, 2025

Distinguished colleagues, honored guests, and friends,

Today, we gather with heavy hearts to mark the fourth anniversary of Afghanistan’s fall to the extremist Taliban—a tragic reversal of two decades of progress toward democracy and inclusion. Before I proceed, I want to express my deepest gratitude to our distinguished panelists, including Ministers Dr. Samar and Dr. Sarabi. Their courageous leadership defending Afghan women continues to inspire us all. I also sincerely thank all esteemed speakers whose steadfast advocacy amplifies the voices and rights of Afghan women across the world.

Displaced International is a unique organization. We are led by displaced individuals and supported by a committed Board, Global Advisory Council, and Displaced Fellows worldwide. We empower displaced communities through advocacy, emergency assistance, integration support, and pathways for family reunification, labor mobility, and resettlement. Central to our mission is a firm commitment to conflict resolution and peacebuilding—lasting solutions to forced displacement that align closely with this conference’s theme.

As you are all aware, Afghan women have historically led many sectors—education, government, healthcare, and civil society—and have been champions of change. Their leadership broke barriers and inspired future generations. It was a beacon of hope for a more inclusive Afghanistan.

Since 2021, however, the Taliban’s institutionalized gender apartheid has ruthlessly undone this progress. Over 80 decrees now restrict women’s rights—from banning girls’ education beyond sixth grade to excluding women from most workplaces and curtailing their freedom of movement. Recent Taliban orders prohibit women from pursuing medical education and ban male doctors from treating female patients. These actions plunge millions into a dire health crisis.

This conference highlights two deeply linked crises: forced displacement and systematic gender apartheid. These cannot be viewed separately. Policies denying women and girls their basic rights directly fuel the mass displacement of families seeking safety and dignity. Together, these panels deepen understanding, drive accountability, and catalyze coordinated international action to protect displaced Afghans—especially women and girls—and support restoration of an inclusive, rights-respecting government.

More than 10 million Afghans are displaced. Internally displaced families—many with daughters denied education and freedoms—seek refuge in urban centers and border areas offering a greater degree of civic space. Externally, millions have fled to neighboring Pakistan and Iran, where hostility, forced deportations, and legal uncertainty persist. In 2025 alone, nearly two million Afghans—many of them women and children fleeing gender persecution—have been expelled.

International bodies have issued urgent warnings:

• UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett calls for an immediate halt to deportations, warning that returnees face “significant risk of persecution and violent reprisals.”

• The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants against two Taliban leaders for crimes against humanity, specifically gender persecution.

• The EU Court of Justice has ruled that any Afghan woman should be presumed at risk of persecution upon return.

• The UN General Assembly’s June 2025 resolution highlights Afghanistan’s dire conditions and calls for increased support to refugee-hosting countries.

These warnings and measures illustrate why Afghan women and girls flee a regime that enforces gender apartheid through repression, exclusion, and violence. The convergence of gender apartheid, economic collapse—with over 90% living in poverty—and political repression drives Afghanistan’s displacement crisis. While humanitarian aid is essential, it cannot substitute for protection under international law. Forced returns violate the principle of non-refoulement, exposing vulnerable populations to renewed persecution.

Gender apartheid in Afghanistan is not only a profound moral and humanitarian issue but also a critical national security concern. When women are imprisoned and their children are subjected to radicalization, the stability of the Afghan people, the wider region, and global peace are all imperiled. History has shown that ignoring these realities creates fertile ground for extremism and violence that can reach far beyond Afghanistan’s borders.

That is why at the heart of any lasting solution lies an inclusive Afghan peace process that addresses the mother of Afghanistan’s growing challenges, including the forced displacement of women and girls. Without the formation of an inclusive and legitimate government that abides by Afghanistan’s international obligations, Afghanistan’s protracted crisis wouldn’t end. That is why I have consistently called for renewed international leadership—especially from the United States.

President Donald Trump, as a global peacemaker, has demonstrated visionary leadership by brokering the historic peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia. He has advanced peace efforts in other parts of the world. His example shows the power of decisive, constructive diplomacy to resolve long-standing conflicts. Afghanistan now presents a critical opportunity for similar leadership. Achieving lasting peace here demands that the United States set aside geopolitical rivalries. The U.S. must work constructively with UN Security Council members and regional allies. It must build upon existing consensus. By committing to a shared vision of peace and cooperation—rejecting war and confrontation while acknowledging decades of Afghan suffering—the U.S. can lead a durable, multilateral diplomatic solution under United Nations auspices.

This leadership is both a moral duty and a strategic necessity. President Trump has a unique opportunity to lead a UN-backed peace process that can end Afghanistan’s long suffering. By doing so, he can help stop forced displacement and migration of women and girls, and build a stable, inclusive future for all Afghans.

As we open this conference, I call on governments, international organizations, and civil society to renew our shared responsibility to protect Afghan women and girls, support displaced families, uphold international law, and work toward a just and lasting peace. Crucially, I urge the international community to formally recognize gender apartheid as a crime against humanity in the forthcoming Treaty on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Humanity.

The Taliban’s systematic enforcement of gender apartheid constitutes a grave atrocity requiring unequivocal legal condemnation. Including gender apartheid in the treaty and rigorously applying its provisions will prevent these crimes from being normalized or going unpunished.

Before I turn the floor over to Ms. Nawabi, I would like to recognize Mr. Naveed Noormal, Senior Fellow at Displaced International and our able MC today, and thank him for his support throughout this conference.

Thank you.