In the last webinar of the Max Planck Foundation’s Afghanistan Legal Research Network in 2023, Richard Bennett reported on his work in Afghanistan.
On 24 November, the Foundation hosted Richard Bennett, who since 2022 serves as UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan. Over the course of two hours, he offered valuable insights into his work and problematised the current developments inside the country.
Richard Bennett opened his lecture with a reflection on the preceding two decades and the progress made during the time of the Islamic Republic. Despite their numerous limitations, he acknowledged the progress made in developing the rule of law and efforts towards improved rights protection. He shared his own observations from recent country visits, placing particular emphasis on adverse changes in the legal system and the current situation of women and girls.
The talk sparked a lively discussion with researchers in the room and participants online. In his exchanges with the audience, Richard Bennett explored the prospects for reform and accountability as well as the role of international recognition in calls for moderation and adherence to international legal standards.
The event was livestreamed as part of series of webinars hosted by the Afghanistan Legal Research Network at the Foundation. It is part of the project ‘Civil Society and the Rule of Law in Afghanistan’, supported by the German Federal Foreign Office.