Afghanistan’s Taliban will face criticism over its human rights record at a United Nations meeting today, with Washington accusing them of systematically denying women and girls human rights.

However, in a development that is happening for the first time at the UN Human Rights Council, the country’s rulers will not be present because they are not recognized by this international body. Instead, Afghanistan will be represented by an ambassador appointed by the previous US-backed government, which was ousted by the Taliban in 2021.

In a series of questions raised in a UN document ahead of the assessment, the US asked how perpetrators would be held accountable for abuses against civilians, “particularly women and girls who are systematically denied their human rights”. They also called for the promotion of the rights of the LGBTI community, noting an “escalation of threats and abuses” since the Taliban took power.

Britain and Belgium have also raised questions about the Taliban’s treatment of women. In total, 76 countries have requested to address the council.

For their part, the Taliban say they respect rights according to their own interpretation of Islamic law.

Since returning to power, most girls have been banned from secondary education and women from university. The Taliban have also banned most Afghan women from working in aid organizations, closed beauty salons, banned women from parks and imposed restrictions on women’s movement without a male escort.

Under the UN system, states’ human rights performance is subject to peer reviews at public meetings of the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, leading to a series of recommendations.

Although non-binding, these recommendations can lead to policy scrutiny and greater pressure for reform. The United Nations Human Rights Council can also request investigations, the evidence of which is sometimes used in national and international courts.