Australia remains gravely concerned about the attacks against ethnic and religious minorities in Afghanistan, which have claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent Afghan people since the Taliban takeover.

We deeply condemn the systematic, targeted attacks on places of worship, schools and public spaces in Afghanistan.

The Hazara community in Afghanistan is disproportionately and methodically targeted by the Taliban and terrorist groups. The 30 September attack on the Kaaj Educational Centre is yet another devastating example of why this minority population lives in fear. The majority of casualties were girls and young women.

Australia reiterates calls from Afghan human rights defenders, the Special Rapporteur, and the international community that those responsible for these abhorrent attacks be brought to justice. We also echo the call for all girls, of all ethnicities and ages, to have the right to access education.

The Taliban have not protected ethnic minorities, reversing twenty years of work to combat discrimination and marginalisation. Minorities have been excluded from positions of authority, restricting their right to meaningfully participate in rebuilding Afghanistan. Lasting peace in Afghanistan cannot be achieved without the participation of all Afghan people.

What steps can be taken to monitor human rights abuses and actively prevent attacks against ethnic and religious minorities, in particular, against the Hazara population?