DRAFT RESOLUTION I Situation of women and girls in Afghanistan* The Economic and Social Council, Guided by the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,5 the International Covenants on Human Rights,6 the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment,7 the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women,8 the Convention on the Rights of the Child,9 the Beijing Declaration10 and Platform for Action adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women,11 and other instruments of human rights and international humanitarian law, Deeply concerned by the continuing and substantiated reports of violations of the human rights of women and girls, including all forms of discrimination against them, particularly in areas under control of the Taliban, resulting, inter alia, in restrictions upon movement, denial of equal access of women to health care, prohibition of most forms of female employment, restrictions upon education for women and girls, the closing of girls’ schools, and severe limitations upon the enrolment of females in institutions of higher education and upon their access to humanitarian assistance, Welcoming the ongoing work of the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, in particular his special focus on violations of the human rights of women and girls, especially in territories under the control of the Taliban faction, Welcoming also the decision of the Secretary-General to send a gender mission to Afghanistan, hoping that it will serve as a model for future efforts to address the gender dimension of crisis/conflict situations, and encouraging the Secretary-General to continue to send such high-level missions, when appropriate, Taking into account the report of the Special Adviser to the SecretaryGeneral on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women on her visit to Afghanistan in November 1997, * For the discussion, see chap. III, paras. 45-50. 5 General Assembly resolution 217 A (III). 6 General Assembly resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex. 7 General Assembly resolution 39/46, annex. 8 General Assembly resolution 34/180, annex. 9 General Assembly resolution 44/25, annex. 10 Report of the Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, 4-15 September 1995 (United Nations publication, Sales No. 96.IV.13), chap. I, resolution 1, annex I. 11 Ibid., annex II. -4-