Women This Week: Multilateral Organizations Increase Pressure on Taliban Over Oppression of Women and Girls in Afghanistan
ICC Issues Arrest Warrants for Taliban Leaders
This week, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Taliban leaders over the draconian treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan. Citing evidence of crimes against humanity, the court stated that the Taliban’s supreme leaders and chief justice of the supreme court have “specifically targeted girls and women by reason of their gender, depriving them of fundamental rights and freedoms.” Earlier this week, the United Nations General Assembly approved a resolution calling for Taliban rulers to reverse the “grave, worsening, widespread and systematic oppression” of women and girls. Although not legally binding, it reiterates the country’s commitments under international law. It calls for a collective effort to reduce the presence of terrorist groups in the region and respond to the humanitarian and refugee crisis within Afghanistan. “Sustainable and lasting peace can be achieved only through long-term social, economic and political stability, which requires full respect for civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights as well as commitment to inclusive and representative governance,” stated the resolution. Notably, this month, Russia also became the first country to recognize the Taliban as the governing power in Afghanistan.
First Female President Elected in Suriname
This week, Jennifer Geerlings-Simons made history by becoming Suriname’s first elected female president. Winning the two-thirds majority vote from the National Assembly, Geerlings-Simons of the National Democratic Party is a trained physician and lawmaker. Her election comes at a time of significant economic difficulty for the country, which has been ongoing since 1975, when the country gained independence from the Netherlands. Under the former president’s rule, Chandrika Persad Santokhi, Suriname restructured its national debt, which helped refinance its public debt, but sparked widespread protests fueled by corruption allegations. Under Santokhi’s leadership, offshore oil reserves were discovered along Suriname’s coast, drawing global interest and generating plans for offshore oil production to begin in 2028. Against this backdrop, President Geerlings-Simons has pledged to focus on stabilizing state finances. She has also committed to boosting government revenues by tightening tax enforcement, particularly among small-scale gold miners. “I am aware that the heavy task I have taken on is further aggravated by the fact that I am the first woman to serve the country in this position,” she stated.
Colombia Recognizes Burden of Unpaid Care Work
Recently, the government of Colombia has taken several efforts to recognize the burden of unpaid labor. In February, the National Care Policy, from the country’s National Development Plan, was approved, launching a ten-year, $25 billion MXN action plan (equivalent to approximately $1.3 billion USD) aimed at easing the burden of unpaid care work. Data from Colombia’s National Statistics Department reported that out of 32.2 million people engaging in unpaid care work, 19.5 million are women. That number represents 90.3 percent of all women over the age of ten. Unpaid care work disproportionately affects women, who spend an average of seven hours and forty-four minutes per day on these tasks, more than twice amount of time that men spend. The difference is even greater in rural areas. A core element of the National Care System is community-based care, which has been long overlooked despite its role in local territories. “It means not only recognizing these community actors, but also strengthening them to improve the conditions in which they provide care. This includes technical support, provision of resources, and exchanges of experiences,” said Director of Care of the Ministry of Equality and Equity Natalia Moreno Salamanca.
Janelle Umana-Limon is the intern for the Women and Foreign Policy Program
