In a joint statement posted on the ILGA Asia website, various LGBTQ + advocacy groups called for the protection of women, children and other vulnerable groups in Afghanistan.
On August 15, Taliban fighters seized control of the Presidential Palace in Kabul and the entire country after the president’s ouster. The rapid spread of Taliban power has led to the sudden disintegration of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
Political and advocacy organizations have taken an interest in the situation of vulnerable groups in the country, including LGBTQ + people, women and religious minorities.
“We are concerned about Sharia law imposed by the Taliban. It is well known that many women and girls are afraid to participate in public life and are at risk of being banned from school and university. We are saddened by the fact that for decades the advancement of women’s groups has changed suddenly and catastrophically.
Also, we are afraid that LGBTQ people will start being criminalized and persecuted, the Taliban government has made a statement that the death penalty for gay men will be restored. Afghan LGBT people have been living in fear of violence and murder for several years now, and we fear that this situation will only get worse.” – is said in a public statement.
The letter from ILGA Asia states the following
We call on the Taliban to respect all the human rights enshrined in the Afghan constitution, as well as the international agreements ratified by Afghanistan, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international human rights norms.
We demand that any efforts to quell this political crisis be made in a timely manner.
We call on the international community to provide urgent humanitarian assistance and protect all Afghans.
We call on countries to open their borders and accept refugees and asylum seekers from Afghanistan. We appreciate Canada’s commitment to accept 20,000 vulnerable Afghans and prioritizing LGBT individuals, women leaders, and other groups. We expect other countries to do the same.
We urge everyone to work together to provide support as much as they can. We call on individuals and groups to make donations and donations to provide emergency funding to LGBTQ + organizations in Afghanistan.
Below is a list of LGBTQ + advocacy groups that have signed this statement:
- 6Rang (Iranian Lesbian and Transgender Network)
- Access Planet Organization
- African Trans Network
- Aleph Melbourne
- All Out
- All Women’s Action Society (AWAM)
- Alouen
- Amnesty International Taiwan Section
- Antalya Feminist Kolektif
- ASEAN Feminist LBQ Network
- ASEAN SOGIE Caucus
- Asia Pacific Transgender Network
- Asia-Pacific Rainbow Catholics Network
- Bangladesh Queer Partnership Platform- EQUAL
- Beyond Borders Malaysia
- Bisdak Pride, Inc.
- Bisexual Alliance Victoria
- Boys of Bangladesh (Formerly)
- Campaign for Change
- CAN-Myanmar
- CEDAW Committee of Trinidad & Tobago
- Centre for Civil and Political Rights
- Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) Malaysia
- COC Netherlands
- Community Welfare and Development Fund
- Covenants Watch
- CPCD Studio
- Dawei Probono Lawyer Network
- Deaf Rainbow
- Diversity and Solidarity Trust – Sri Lanka
- Diversity Lounge Toyama
- Doshisha University
- Edge Effect
- ELLY Fukui
- Equal Asia Foundation
- EQUAL GROUND, Sri Lanka
- GAYa NUSANTARA Foundation
- Gays Without Borders
- Helem
- Human Dignity Trust
- Human Rights Defenders World Summit
- ICS Center
- ILGA Asia
- ILGA World
- Iloilo Pride Team
- Inclusive Bangladesh
- International Service for Human Rights
- International Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific
- Intersex Asia
- Intersex Philippines
- isha lisha – Haifa feminist center
- Ishikawa Conference for LGBT
- Iwate Rainbow Network
- J-ALL (Japan Alliance for LGBT Legislation)
- JEJAKA
- Justice for sisters
- Kampania Przeciw Homofobii | Campaign Against Homophobia (Poland)
- Kanazawa Rainbow Pride
- Kaos GL
- Korean Sexual-minority Culture & Rights Center
- LakanBini Advocates Pilipinas
- Legal Dignity
- Let’s Breakthrough, Inc.
- Lezpa
- LGBT Centre
- LOUD (Lesbians of Undeniable Drive)
- LOVE4ONE
- M-coalition
- MANODIVERSA
- Manushya Foundation
- Marsa Sexual Health Center
- Matimba
- Metro Manila Pride
- Midneunfemi
- Monsoon Malaysia (MM)
- MOSAIC Mena
- Movimiento de Integración y Liberación Homosexual (MOVILH)
- Mujer-LGBT Organization, Inc
- Namibia Diverse Women Association
- Nijiiro Diversity
- Noboprobhaat
- Nőkért Egyesület (Association for Women), Hungary
- NPO Tokyo Rainbow Pride
- Oogachaga
- Organization Intersex International-Chinese (Oii-Chinese)
- Outrage Magazine
- Pacific Human Rights Initiative
- Palestinian Working Woman for Development “PWWSD”
- Pan Africa ILGA
- PELANGI Campaign
- Persatuan Sahabat Wanita, Selangor (Friends of Women Organisation, Selangor)
- Pioneer Filipino Transgender men Movement
- PLACE TOKYO
- Planet Ally
- PLUHO (People Like Us Hang Out!)
- Pride House Tokyo
- PROHAM
- Proud Futures
- PT Foundation
- Queer Voices of Bhutan
- Queers4Climate
- Rainbow Action Against Sexual-Minority Discrimination
- Rainbow Egypt
- RainbowJesus (무지개예수)
- RFSL (The Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex Rights)
- Sans Tabous
- Sayoni
- SEED Malaysia
- Seoul Human Rights Film Festival in South Korea
- SGRainbow
- SHARE, center for Sexual rights And Reproductive justicE
- Sisters in Islam, Malaysia
- SOGILAW
- SORANIJI HIMEJI
- Success Capital Organisation
- Swasti
- Taiwan Association for Human Rights
- Taiwan Equality Campaign
- Taiwan Gender Equity Education Association
- Taiwan LGBTQ Family Rights Advocacy
- Taiwan Tongzhi (LGBTQ+) Hotline Association
- The Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya (GALCK)
- The Global Center for LGBTI+ Freedom and Education
- The Institute for Studies on Society, Economy & Environment – iSEE
- Thorne Harbour Health
- Together4Change: DAWOOM
- Transgender Equality Hong Kong
- Transgender Victoria
- Transpiration Power
- Trikone Australasia Inc
- Tufts University
- UP Babaylan
- Visayas LBTQ Network
- Women Against Rape
- Women for Women’s Human Rights (WWHR)
- Youth Voices Count
- にじ♡はぐ 石川
- ひだまりの会
source: https://www.ilgaasia.org/news/2021/8/18/joint-statement-on-afghanistan
