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Rights of Women and Girls Afghanistan 2026-01-05

05 January 2026

Lead MP

Alice Macdonald

Debate Type

Adjournment Debate

Tags

Foreign Affairs
Other Contributors: 7

At a Glance

Alice Macdonald raised concerns about rights of women and girls afghanistan 2026-01-05 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

How the Debate Unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:

Lead Contributor

Opened the debate
I am pleased to bring forward this debate on Government support for the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan because, put simply, the situation for women and girls there is catastrophic. Since coming to power in 2021, the Taliban have launched an all-out attack on women, systematically stripping away their economic, political and social rights. Afghan women continue to fight for their rights despite enduring hardships. The systematic erasure of women's rights includes no right to education post-primary school, employment, or travel alone. Education is banned beyond primary level, denying 1.5 million girls secondary education. Employment has been restricted, with women confined to home roles. Access to healthcare and midwife training are limited. Food insecurity affects 1.4 million people; 4.2 million are internally displaced, mostly due to returnees from Iran and Pakistan. The ban on internet access further isolates women.

Government Response

Foreign Affairs
Government Response
I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich North (Alice Macdonald) for securing this debate. She set out the situation well, noting that Afghanistan is now one of the worst places in the world to be a woman... The UK Government have consistently condemned the Taliban’s treatment of women and girls. Senior officials travel regularly to Kabul, most recently in December, to urge the Taliban to reverse their barbaric decrees. On every visit, the treatment of women and girls is raised... We are providing support to returnees from Iran to Afghanistan, and that support is mostly funnelled through the International Organisation for Migration. We have allocated over £150 million this financial year for lifesaving aid in Afghanistan, ensuring at least half of the beneficiaries are women and girls. We hosted a food security and nutrition conference last November to address hardships facing Afghan families. We support the UN special rapporteur on Afghanistan and maintain regular engagement with Afghan women. The UK special envoy to Afghanistan regularly meets Afghan women both in diaspora and home country to better understand their needs and how we can assist them. We participated in the Hear Us conference led by Afghan women demanding accountability for Taliban human rights abuses. Dr Sima Samar, an Afghan human rights activist, highlighted the appalling situation for women and girls at the launch of the All In campaign against violence. I have met many NGOs, activists, campaigners, and politicians who advocate for a better future for Afghan women and girls. We will continue to urge the Taliban to reverse their decrees and ensure peace, security, and prosperity with women playing an essential role.
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