Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the human rights situation of women in Afghanistan; what his policy is on the concept of gender apartheid in that country; and what representations he has made to Afghanistan's geographical neighbours on gender inequality in the region.

We have repeatedly condemned Taliban restrictions on women and girls' rights, including through UN Security Council and Human Rights Council resolutions. As the Foreign Secretary has said, exclusion of women from all aspects of public life is another tragic setback for Afghanistan. We engage with regional and international partners on human rights and security among other priority issues.

The FCDO is aware of calls for the inclusion of 'gender apartheid' as a new crime against humanity. We are actively considering the complex legal and policy questions raised by this proposal.