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I am a human rights defender and Executive Director of Rawadari, an Afghan civil society organization that has reported on the situation of human rights, including of women, girls and marginalized groups, since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021. [...] Today, I want to share with you the trends we have observed on the ground in Afghanistan, what this tells us about the Taliban’s vision for the country, and most importantly, what this means for international engagement, including by the Security Council, going forward. [...] The choice before you is—will you support our vision of a peaceful, equal, diverse, democratic Afghanistan, or the Taliban’s vision, one that violates the UN Charter, and the fundamental values that this Council claims to uphold? Right now, it is the Taliban who are defining the rules of the game, and humanitarian organizations, the UN and the international community are forced to play by their ru. [...] I urge you to support all avenues to ensure justice and accountability for human rights violations by the Taliban, including by bringing a case against Afghanistan before the International Court of Justice for violations of CEDAW and through the establishment of an independent international accountability mechanism on Afghanistan. [...] Finally, the international community must prioritize support to Afghan human rights defenders and civil society, both those who have been forced into exile, as well as the brave activists who remain in the country, by expediting resettlement for those at risk, funding civic work in Afghanistan, and continuing to meaningfully consult with the diverse human rights community of Afghanistan.