What changed

European Parliament resolution on the situation in Afghanistan: supporting women and communities affected by the recent earthquakes

P10_TA(2025)0229

(2025/2872(RSP))

Situation in Afghanistan: supporting women and communities affected by the recent earthquakes

PE776.254

European Parliament resolution of 9 October 2025 on the situation in Afghanistan: supporting women and communities affected by the recent earthquakes (2025/2872(RSP))

The European Parliament,

C. whereas since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have imposed a radical interpretation and enforcement of Sharia law, resulting in the almost complete erasure of women and girls from public life in Afghanistan; whereas this has been enforced through sweeping restrictions on women and girls, including bans on attending secondary and higher education, prohibitions on engaging in most forms of employment, denial of access to public spaces and sports, the imposition of strict dress codes, the dismantling of support systems for victims of violence and requirements that women travel only when accompanied by a male guardian; whereas further decrees, such as the December 2024 prohibition on women pursuing a medical education or sitting final medical examinations, have drastically reduced the number of female medical professionals in Afghanistan;

D. whereas in 2024, the CJEU issued three landmark judgments on gender-based violence and persecution, confirmingindicating that womenMember andStates girlsare atentitled riskto oftake suchinto violence,consideration asgender welland asnationality ofalone state-imposedwhen discriminatorycarrying measures,out qualifyan individual assessment of an application for refugeeasylum statusby ona accountwoman of theirAfghan gender;nationality;

E. whereas from 30 September to 2 October 2025, the Taliban imposed a nationwide internet shutdown, disrupting communication, flights, banking and essential services, and depriving millions of Afghans of access to information and education, in particular cutting off one of the last remaining lifelines for women and girls to pursue learning opportunities, given the Taliban’s ban on their education beyond sixth grade;

F. whereas according to the World Health Organization, 422 healthcare facilities in Afghanistan have shut down due to funding shortages, affecting 3.083,08 million people; whereas Afghanistan is experiencing multiple health emergencies, exacerbating what was already one of the highest maternal mortality ratios globally;

G. whereas the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is dire, with nearly 24 million people dependent on humanitarian assistance and almost 15 million suffering from acute food insecurity; whereas between January and October 2024, over 1.11,1 million Afghans, many of them forcibly returned, came back to Afghanistan, putting pressure on communities already under strain; whereas there are over 3.23,2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Afghanistan and 5.35,3 million Afghan refugees and asylum seekers in neighbouring countries;

H. whereas US foreign aid funding cuts have severely hit Afghanistan’s healthcare system and food assistance programmes; whereas the EU and its Member States remain among the largest humanitarian donors to Afghanistan, approving EUR 1 million in emergency funding, in addition to the EUR 161 million in humanitarian aid already allocated in 2025 and destined for organisations across Afghanistan; whereas EU humanitarian aid in Afghanistan is solely channelled through humanitarian partners;

4. Notes with grave concern that the quake-hit region is experiencing a massive influx of Afghan families returning to shattered homes and farmland, following their forced expulsion from Iran and Pakistan; condemns the human rights violations that take place during these deportations; expresses great concern about the consequent added strain on the humanitarian aid infrastructure in these provinces; calls on Iran and Pakistan to immediately halt deportations to Afghanistan; highlights, in this regard, the importance of adhering to the principle of non-refoulement, especially given the ongoing conflict and instability in Afghanistan and the persecution of ethnic groups, women and political opponents;

5. Notes with grave concern thatthe 1situation 300of Afghan human rights defenders, journalists and other public figures who have supported thedemocratic development of democracy in Afghanistan over the last decade, are still waiting in Pakistan to be admitted to Europeanpast Memberdecade Statesand afterwho havinghave been provided withgranted documentation that allowedallowing forthem temporary status in Pakistan, while their asylum request is processed; expresses deep concern about the ongoing deportations that are now also targeting these groups;Pakistan; calls onfor the EU Member Statesand toits makeMember effortsStates to urgently expedite processing of applications from Afghans in needassist, ofwhere safetyrelevant and protection, especiallypossible, forthe thoseapplication atprocess riskfor ofthese deportation;individuals;

6. Strongly condemns the Taliban’s numerous gender-based restrictions and discriminatory policies that prevent Afghan women from accessing education, medical training, healthcare and humanitarian work, resulting in the establishment of a gender apartheid; calls for the EU to support the recognition of gender apartheid as a crime against humanity; calls on the de facto authorities of Afghanistan to lift all restrictions on women and calls for the immediate restoration of women’s and girls’ full, equal, meaningful participation in public life; reiterates its calls for the EU and the Member States to take all necessary measures to allow Afghan women to meaningfully participate in international forums and negotiations; specifically urges the de facto authorities to reopen medical education centres to women, given the country’s drastic shortage of female medical staff;

11. Calls on the international community to hold the Taliban accountable, including through the establishment of a UN independent investigative mechanism for Afghanistan, and to execute the July 2025 ICC arrest warrants for Taliban Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and Taliban Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani, which were issued on the grounds of crimes against humanity related to the persecution of women and girls; expresses its support for the ongoing investigations into gender-based persecution and other human rights violations;

12. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the EU Special Envoy for Afghanistan and the de facto authorities of Afghanistan.

12. Welcomes the establishment of an independent investigative mechanism for Afghanistan to answer the call of Afghan victims as a significant milestone in the pursuit of truth, justice and accountability for the people of Afghanistan, who are suffering from international crimes and violations of international law committed in the country; welcomes also the renewal of the UN Special Rapporteur’s mandate and echoes his call for accountability;

13. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the EU Special Envoy for Afghanistan and the de facto authorities of Afghanistan.