Document Title: Holding the Taliban Accountable Through State Responsibility – ICJ Fact Sheet
Author: Civic Engagement Project
Summary: This fact sheet introduces the role of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in addressing state-level violations of international law, with a focus on legal strategies to hold Afghanistan accountable for systemic abuses against women and girls under the Taliban. It explains the ICJ’s mechanisms, the process for bringing a case under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and recent efforts by multiple countries to initiate proceedings. Developed by the Civic Engagement Project, this resource outlines how legal action at the ICJ can confront gender apartheid as a state responsibility—without legitimizing the Taliban—and underscores the broader impact such cases can have on advocacy, diplomacy, and international accountability.
Key Topics Covered:
- Opportunities for international solidarity, political pressure, and victim-centered engagement
- Jurisdiction and structure of the ICJ and how it differs from the ICC
- Legal pathways for bringing Afghanistan before the ICJ under CEDAW and CAT
- Status and goals of the initiative led by Australia, Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands
- Precedents like The Gambia v. Myanmar and their implications for non-recognized regimes
- Use of provisional measures and short-term impact in advancing justice