E/2001/27 E/CN.6/2001/14 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted by the General Assembly at its twenty-third special session, accepted humanitarian rules as set out in the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and other instruments of human rights and international law, “Recalling that Afghanistan is party to the Convention on the Prevention of the Crime of Genocide, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, and that it has signed the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, “Reaffirming that all States have an obligation to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms and to fulfil the obligations they have freely undertaken under the various international instruments, “ Welcoming the substantive report of the Secretary-General to the Commission on the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan, and the conclusions contained therein, including the need to monitor and evaluate the promotion and protection of the human rights of women and girls who reside in all areas of Afghanistan, “Also welcoming the report of the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on violence against women, which found ‘official, widespread and systematic violation of the human rights of women in Taliban controlled areas’, “[Deploring ] the deteriorating economic, social and cultural conditions of women and girls in all areas of Afghanistan, in particular in areas under the control of the Taliban movement, as documented by the continued and substantiated reports of grave violations to the physical security and integrity as well as the human rights of women and girls, including discrimination in terms of access to health care, to level and types of education, to employment outside the home, to freedom of movement and to freedom of association, “ Welcoming the fourth report of the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, entitled ‘Interim report of the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan’, and of the conclusions and recommendations contained therein, 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, “ Deeply concerned about the detrimental impact of these harmful conditions on the well-being of Afghan women and the children in their care, and the detrimental effect of the restrictions to women’s and girls’ education and women’s employment on the functions of Afghan society and the reconstruction and development of the country, “Expressing its appreciation for the international community’s support of and solidarity with the women and girls of Afghanistan, being supportive of the women of Afghanistan who protest against violations of their human 40