The United Kingdom supports the international initiative to investigate violations of Afghan women’s rights.

The United Kingdom has announced that it has joined a group of countries referring the case of violations of women’s and girls’ rights in Afghanistan to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Anneliese Dodds, the Minister for Women and Equalities, stated during a session in the British Parliament that London is deeply concerned about the dire situation of women’s and girls’ rights in Afghanistan.

She added that the UK officially declared its support for this initiative on January 9.

The organization SMART had urged the British government to increase pressure on the Taliban to recognize women’s rights in Afghanistan and ensure their access to education and social life.

Dodds emphasized, “We are using all possible tools to pressure the Taliban and are committed to supporting women’s rights on an international level.”

Countries including the UK, France, Spain, Mexico, Chile, Canada, and several others have referred the case of violations of women’s rights in Afghanistan to the ICJ in The Hague.

This decision comes at a time when systematic violations of women’s and girls’ rights under Taliban rule have become a significant challenge for the international community. Restrictions such as banning girls’ education, prohibiting women’s employment in governmental and non-governmental institutions, and their complete exclusion from social and political spheres have raised widespread concerns globally.