Intervento dell’Ambasciatore Maurizio Massari, Rappresentante Permanente dell’Italia presso le Nazioni Unite, all’Evento su “A New Chapter in Afghanistan: Ensuring International Cooperation in Support of Afghan Women & Girls” —
Madame Chair, Excellencies, Colleagues,
I would like to thank all the organizers for this important event but mostly, to thank the Afghan women present here, a warm welcome to them and thank you very much for your testimony.
Of course, the situation for Afghan women and girls in Afghanistan is appalling, as we heard from our Afghan friends here today. We do not need to elaborate further, I just would like to say on behalf of my Country, my Government, that Italy is fully committed to defend your cause, your rights, and we will continue to fight to normalize, as much as we can, the situation in your Country.
As you know, Italy as President of the G20 organized many events to raise awareness about the rights of Afghan women and girls.
There was a High-level event organized by our Foreign Minister during the High-level Week focused particularly on access to education as a key requisite for creating resilient, inclusive and peaceful communities in Afghanistan.
The importance to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Afghan women and girls was one of the shared goals discussed at the extraordinary Leaders’ G20 meeting on Afghanistan.
At the national level, we allocated 150 million for humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan.
Also, I would like to recall the collective efforts that contributed to the adoption by the Human Rights Council of the resolution – presented by the European Union countries – establishing a Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Afghanistan and we hope that the Special Rapporteur will become operational soon: we will strongly support its work.
We need accountability, as we heard from many sides here today.
It is necessary to bind the Taliban leadership to the respect of the fundamental rights and freedoms of Afghan women.
For this reason, we are fully committed to the implementation of the “Women, Peace and Security” Agenda and we intends to remain at the forefront of the effort to identify every possible way to continue assisting Afghan women and girls.
Thank you very much.
