Four western countries sue Taliban at The Hague over gender discrimination

Germany, Australia, Canada, and the Netherlands have jointly announced plans to bring the Taliban to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague for violating the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The announcement was made during the UN General Assembly, with the foreign ministers of these nations stating that the Taliban must be held accountable for their gender discrimination policies.

Afghanistan, which joined CEDAW in 2003, is legally obligated to uphold women's rights. The four countries argue that the Taliban's oppressive treatment of women, including barring them from education, work, and public life, is a violation of this international treaty.

This unprecedented legal action marks the first time countries are suing another nation for gender discrimination at the ICJ. According to The Guardian, the Taliban has six months to change its policies before the ICJ hearing, with potential temporary measures to be proposed if no progress is made.

Even if the Taliban refuses to recognize the court's jurisdiction, the four countries warned that a verdict could have far-reaching consequences, potentially deterring international recognition of the Taliban government. Several nations, including Albania, Belgium, Iceland, and others, have expressed support for the legal action.

Human Rights Watch praised the move, calling it a potential step toward justice for the Taliban's widespread violations of women's and girls' rights. Despite international criticism, the Taliban leadership has remained steadfast, defending its restrictive laws on women and promising to enforce them with force if necessary.