Monthly Action Points (MAP) for the Security Council: June 2026

Afghanistan

The situation of women’s rights in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate as the Taliban intensify their widespread, systematic policies of gender-based discrimination intended to erase women and girls from public life, most recently through the January 2026 “criminal code” as well as the May 2026 Decree No. 18 which, inter alia, effectively institutionalizes child marriage. Taliban restrictions on women, including on women aid workers, combined with severe funding shortages, have seriously hindered women’s and girls’ access to humanitarian assistance and healthcare, including sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and services. Afghanistan has one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates, yet access to healthcare has become even more challenging due to the closure of hundreds of health clinics. Bans on contraception also seriously threaten women’s health. Women and girls are unsafe at home, as the Taliban have dismantled systems to respond to gender-based violence (GBV), legitimized domestic violence, criminalized women leaving home without their husbands’ permission and restricted women’s ability to obtain a divorce. The Taliban continue to surveil, target and arbitrarily detain women activists, journalists, human rights defenders (WHRDs) and protestors, and women and girls accused of violating the Taliban’s morality laws, including dress codes; they frequently face torture and sexual violence in detention. Women, girls and LGBTIQ people also face intersecting forms of discrimination based on ethnic and/or religious identity, age, marital status, displacement and disability, among other factors. Afghan refugees, including WHRDs and women journalists, continue to face forced returns despite ongoing persecution and discrimination targeting Afghan women and girls, or have been forced to return to Afghanistan due to the ongoing conflict in Iran. 

These grave violations of the rights of women, girls and LGBTIQ people amount to gender persecution, a crime against humanity for which the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants against senior Taliban leaders. Afghan women and international experts also describe the situation as gender apartheid, and call for codification of gender apartheid as a crime against humanity and as a violation of protections guaranteed by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). 

The Security Council should:

• Renew in full the current mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and call for its full implementation, in particular: improving women’s access to humanitarian and development activities; promoting gender equality and the full protection of women’s human rights; monitoring and reporting on human rights, including violations against women and girls, including all forms of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and violations, abuses and reprisals against women, including WHRDs; facilitating political dialogue without discrimination based on gender, and with the full, equal and meaningful participation of women; and integrating gender mainstreaming as a cross-cutting issue throughout implementation of the mandate.
• Demand that the Taliban immediately reverse all policies and practices that prevent the full enjoyment of all women’s human rights in accordance with Afghanistan’s international obligations, including CEDAW and relevant Security Council resolutions. In particular, condemn and call for the immediate repeal of the Taliban’s new decrees on criminal law and family law.
• Demand the protection of women’s rights and the full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of diverse Afghan women and LGBTIQ people, especially WHRDs, peacebuilders and victims and survivors of gender-based crimes, in all international fora concerning Afghanistan’s future, including all aspects of the “Doha Process.”
• Support and work to accelerate all efforts to seek accountability for all international crimes, including gender-based crimes, such as a case against Afghanistan for violations of CEDAW at the International Court of Justice and the independent investigative mechanism created by the Human Rights Council. 
• Call on the Taliban to ensure that all UN entities can enter the country and fully discharge their mandates without hindrance, and to immediately reverse the ban on Afghan women working for the UN and INGOs.
• Urge donors to fully fund the humanitarian response in Afghanistan and the refugee response plan for Afghan refugees in Iran, and allocate increased flexible, long-term and direct funding to Afghan women-led and LGBTIQ-led civil society and humanitarian organizations. Urge all actors to ensure safe, gender-responsive and non-discriminatory humanitarian delivery, with women’s full and equal participation and leadership.
• Call on the Taliban to immediately stop targeting human rights defenders (HRDs), peacebuilders and journalists, and release all arbitrarily detained individuals.
• Urge all Member States to recognize gender-based persecution against Afghan women and girls as categorical grounds for asylum; refrain from forcibly returning any refugees and asylum seekers to Afghanistan; and create and expand pathways to safe resettlement for Afghans who are experiencing persecution in Afghanistan, including WHRDs and women and girls.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Despite ongoing mediation efforts, violence continues in eastern DRC, where over 5.3 million people remain internally displaced. The ongoing conflict and latest Ebola outbreak have greatly compounded the already acute risks of SGBV for women and girls, including widespread and systematic conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) perpetrated by both state and non-state armed groups, with displaced women and girls particularly at risk. Women are disproportionately affected by Ebola due to their roles as primary caretakers and healthcare workers, and the outbreak severely threatens SRH outcomes. Ongoing conflict, displacement, damaged infrastructure, looting of health facilities and suspension of basic services also undermine Ebola detection and response. 

Humanitarian access remains limited as providers have been forced to scale back or suspend operations amid ongoing fighting, targeted attacks, disrupted supply routes, bureaucratic and administrative impediments and severe funding cuts. Services for survivors, including SRH care, are similarly restricted, including due to a shortage of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) kits and other essential drugs. The conflict has also led to a collapse of protection services and further exacerbated food insecurity, forcing women and girls to adopt high-risk coping mechanisms such as transactional sex. At the same time, civic space continues to shrink across the DRC, while the government-imposed “state of siege” continues in North Kivu and Ituri. HRDs, journalists, activists and members of civil society, including women and LGBTIQ people, face serious protection risks as a result of their essential work and on the basis of their identities, particularly in AFC/M23-controlled areas.

The Security Council should:

• Demand all parties immediately cease hostilities and ensure protection of civilians, including by issuing clear orders to refrain from violence against civilians, including SGBV, and to ensure accountability for such actions. Call on the DRC and Rwanda to cease support to their respective allied militias, and call on the Rwandan Defense Forces and its AFC/M23 proxies to immediately withdraw from the DRC without preconditions.
• Demand that all actors allow and facilitate full, safe, unhindered and immediate humanitarian access to all affected populations and restore basic services in line with Resolution 2773 (2025).
• Call for the full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of diverse women in all efforts to build peace. Any peace process or ceasefire negotiation should center human rights and accountability for all abuses against civilians, including SGBV.
• Support efforts to investigate and hold accountable all parties responsible for atrocity crimes, including gender-based crimes, such as the ongoing ICC investigation and the OHCHR fact-finding mission. Call on all parties to facilitate unfettered access for international monitors and investigators.
• Condemn threats and attacks against HRDs, journalists and civil society. Call for the protection and promotion of civic space and condemn the spread of mis- and disinformation.
• Urge donors to provide increased, sustainable, direct and flexible funding to local women-led, women’s rights and LGBTIQ organizations, and organizations providing SRH care and interventions against GBV; and support their meaningful participation and leadership in humanitarian coordination and response, including Ebola prevention and response.

Sudan

Over three years of war in Sudan have had a devastating impact on women and girls. UN and international experts have documented widespread violations of international law by all warring parties, some of which could amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity and acts of genocide. In particular, systematic attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allies on Zaghawa, Masalit and Fur communities in Darfur, including the siege and takeover of El Fasher, indicate intent to destroy these groups in whole or in part. Sudan is the world’s largest humanitarian and displacement crisis. Ongoing conflict and humanitarian access restrictions have also created the world’s largest hunger crisis, with over 19.5 million people facing acute food insecurity. These conditions exacerbate pre-existing gender inequalities, with women frequently eating last and least and often compelled to adopt harmful coping strategies that increase protection risks.

Widespread SGBV enabled by the proliferation of arms remains pervasive, particularly CRSV, including kidnapping, rape, sexual slavery and sexual exploitation. Women and girls from non-Arab tribes have been targeted for CRSV based on their ethnicity, which could constitute an act of genocide. Women activists, journalists, peacebuilders and HRDs, including those documenting rights violations, have been targeted and intimidated for their work, and civic space is increasingly constrained. With the health system on the brink of collapse, including due to continued attacks on health providers and facilities, survivors have limited access to health care, particularly SRH care, including safe abortion and psychosocial support. Rates of maternal and newborn mortality have also risen dramatically. Emergency response rooms and other community organizations, including women-led organizations, play a pivotal role in delivering assistance, but severe funding shortfalls threaten their continued operations.

The Security Council should:

• Demand all parties fully comply with Resolution 2736 (2024), including through: seeking an immediate cessation of hostilities; protecting civilians and civilian infrastructure; ending, preventing and ensuring accountability for all acts of SGBV; and ensuring rapid, safe, unhindered and sustained humanitarian access into and throughout Sudan and the protection of humanitarian personnel, including local and national women-led organizations.
• Demand all parties ensure uninterrupted access to lifesaving SRH care, including maternal health services, clinical management of rape, contraception, HIV prevention and treatment and comprehensive abortion care in line with international law and WHO guidelines. 
• Demand the full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of diverse women in all efforts to build peace, including those led by the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Sudan, the African Union and the League of Arab States.
• Per Resolution 2736, call on external actors to refrain from interfering in the conflict, including by supplying weapons to the warring parties in violation of the arms embargo.
• Urgently identify options for civilian protection, including but not limited to options elaborated by the Secretary-General.
• Call on donors to urgently fund the humanitarian and refugee response plans, and provide increased, flexible, sustainable and direct funding to diverse local civil society and humanitarian organizations, including women-led, LGBTIQ-led and women’s rights organizations.
• Expand the jurisdiction of the ICC to cover the entire territory of Sudan. Call on all warring parties to allow unfettered access for independent monitors and investigators.
• Call on the Secretary-General to establish Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Arrangements on CRSV in Sudan. Update the current sanctions regime to include SGBV as a stand-alone designation criterion.