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2019/2981(RSP) Resolution on Afghanistan, notably the allegations of sexual abuse of boys in the Logar Province

Progress: Procedure completed

Legal Basis:
RoP 144

Events

2019/12/19
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
B9-0256/2019
2019/12/19
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
B9-0257/2019
2019/12/19
   EP - Debate in Parliament
Documents
Debate in Parliament
2019/12/19
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Afghanistan, notably the allegations of sexual abuse of boys in the Logar Province.

The text adopted in plenary was tabled as a joint resolution by the EPP, S&D, Renew, Greens/EFA, ECR and GUE/NGL groups.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported that 136 Afghan boys in at least six schools in Logar province have been sexually abused by a paedophile ring. Sexual abuse, rape and exploitation of boys, a practice known as bacha bazi that constitutes child sex slavery, is prevalent in several provinces of Afghanistan.

The bachas, typically boys between 10 and 18 years old, are bought or kidnapped from impoverished families by influential members of the elite in rural areas, including politicians and army officers. Head teachers, teachers and local authorities from the Logar province have been implicated.

Impunity for sexual violence is common due to the powerful positions often held by the perpetrators, disbelief within victims’ families and communities, and a value system that places family honour above the individual interest of the child.

Parliament expressed its serious concern about the prevalence of deeply-rooted practices of sexual abuse against boys, the impunity of the perpetrators and the vulnerable position of the victims. Members acknowledged the recent reaction of the Afghan authorities and their move to investigate and prosecute those responsible and reminded the authorities that the protection of children and other vulnerable groups must be the core of any human rights protection policy.

Afghan central and local authorities are called on to continue active measures to eradicate the bacha bazi practice in the country.

The Afghan Government is specifically called on to:

immediately suspend from their positions the persons allegedly implicated in cases of sexual abuse and violence until the investigation has been concluded; provide the victims and their families with the necessary medical, psychological and social support; immediately establish a protection and reporting mechanism for organisations and advocates that report and expose children’s rights abuses; set up a national victim support helpline dedicated to children’s rights abuses; make full use of national and international law on child rights protection; ensure that human rights defenders are able to carry out their human rights work free of threats, intimidation, or impediment; start a nationwide campaign to educate society about the prohibition of bacha bazi and the right of minors to be protected from such physical and sexual abuse.

The resolution stated that only through a combination of law enforcement and education on the issue will it be possible to achieve the cultural change needed in Afghan society to eliminate this practice.

Lastly, Parliament called on EU Member States with diplomatic missions in Afghanistan and their development agencies on the ground to assist the authorities and local civil society actors working to eradicate the bacha bazi practice from Afghan society.

Documents
T9-0107/2019
2019/12/19
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2019/12/18
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
B9-0242/2019
2019/12/18
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
B9-0243/2019
2019/12/18
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
B9-0244/2019
2019/12/18
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
B9-0245/2019
2019/12/18
   Joint motion for resolution
Documents
RC-B9-0242/2019

Documents

Activities

Votes

RC-B9-0242/2019 - § 1 #

2019/12/19 Outcome: +: 617, 0: 3, -: 1
DE IT FR ES PL GB RO NL BE CZ PT AT SE HU EL SK BG DK LT IE LV HR FI CY EE LU SI MT
Total
87
60
59
45
44
43
29
23
20
21
19
17
16
16
15
13
13
12
10
10
7
7
7
6
6
6
5
5
icon: PPE PPE
146

Germany PPE

26

Italy PPE

5

France PPE

7

Spain PPE

9

Poland PPE

Against (1)

Radosław SIKORSKI
14

Romania PPE

12

Netherlands PPE

4

Belgium PPE

4

Czechia PPE

5

Portugal PPE

6

Austria PPE

7

Sweden PPE

3

Hungary PPE

8

Greece PPE

6

Slovakia PPE

4

Bulgaria PPE

5

Denmark PPE

For (1)

Pernille WEISS
1

Lithuania PPE

3

Ireland PPE

4

Latvia PPE

For (1)

Sandra KALNIETE
1

Croatia PPE

For (1)

Željana ZOVKO
1

Finland PPE

2

Cyprus PPE

2

Luxembourg PPE

2

Slovenia PPE

3

Malta PPE

2
icon: S&D S&D
137

Germany S&D

14

Italy S&D

17

France S&D

3

Spain S&D

20

Poland S&D

6

United Kingdom S&D

10

Romania S&D

9

Netherlands S&D

5

Belgium S&D

2

Portugal S&D

9

Austria S&D

4

Sweden S&D

5

Hungary S&D

5

Greece S&D

2

Slovakia S&D

3

Bulgaria S&D

3

Denmark S&D

3

Lithuania S&D

2

Latvia S&D

2

Croatia S&D

3

Cyprus S&D

2

Estonia S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

Marc ANGEL
1

Slovenia S&D

2

Malta S&D

3
icon: Renew Renew
97

Germany Renew

7

France Renew

18

Spain Renew

7

United Kingdom Renew

14

Romania Renew

8

Netherlands Renew

6

Belgium Renew

4

Czechia Renew

6

Austria Renew

For (1)

Claudia GAMON
1

Sweden Renew

3

Hungary Renew

2

Slovakia Renew

2

Bulgaria Renew

3

Denmark Renew

4

Lithuania Renew

2

Ireland Renew

For (1)

Billy KELLEHER
1

Latvia Renew

For (1)

Ivars IJABS
1

Croatia Renew

For (1)

Valter FLEGO
1

Finland Renew

2

Estonia Renew

3

Luxembourg Renew

2
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
67

Germany Verts/ALE

24

France Verts/ALE

12

Spain Verts/ALE

2

United Kingdom Verts/ALE

6

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Austria Verts/ALE

2

Sweden Verts/ALE

2

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Finland Verts/ALE

For (1)

Ville NIINISTÖ
1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

Tilly METZ
1
icon: ID ID
59

Germany ID

10

Italy ID

24

France ID

14

Belgium ID

3

Czechia ID

For (1)

Hynek BLAŠKO

Abstain (1)

Ivan DAVID
2

Austria ID

3

Denmark ID

For (1)

Peter KOFOD
1

Finland ID

1

Estonia ID

For (1)

Jaak MADISON
1
icon: ECR ECR
56

Germany ECR

For (1)

Helmut GEUKING
1

Italy ECR

5

Spain ECR

3

Poland ECR

24

United Kingdom ECR

2

Netherlands ECR

4

Belgium ECR

3

Czechia ECR

4

Sweden ECR

2

Slovakia ECR

2

Bulgaria ECR

2

Lithuania ECR

1

Latvia ECR

2

Croatia ECR

For (1)

Ruža TOMAŠIĆ
1
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
30

Germany GUE/NGL

4

France GUE/NGL

5

Spain GUE/NGL

4

Netherlands GUE/NGL

For (1)

Anja HAZEKAMP
1

Belgium GUE/NGL

For (1)

Marc BOTENGA
1

Czechia GUE/NGL

1

Portugal GUE/NGL

3

Sweden GUE/NGL

For (1)

Malin BJÖRK
1

Greece GUE/NGL

3

Denmark GUE/NGL

1

Ireland GUE/NGL

3

Finland GUE/NGL

For (1)

Silvia MODIG
1

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2
icon: NI NI
29

Germany NI

1

Italy NI

9

United Kingdom NI

Abstain (1)

Louis STEDMAN-BRYCE
11

Hungary NI

1

Greece NI

Abstain (1)

Ioannis LAGOS
4

Slovakia NI

2

Croatia NI

1

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

2021-12-18Show (10) Changes | Timetravel
docs/0/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2019-0242_EN.html
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2019-0242_EN.html
docs/1/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2019-0243_EN.html
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2019-0243_EN.html
docs/2/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2019-0244_EN.html
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2019-0244_EN.html
docs/3/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2019-0245_EN.html
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2019-0245_EN.html
docs/4/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/RC-9-2019-0242_EN.html
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/RC-9-2019-0242_EN.html
docs/5/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2019-0256_EN.html
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2019-0256_EN.html
docs/6/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2019-0257_EN.html
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2019-0257_EN.html
events/0/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20191219&type=CRE
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/CRE-9-2019-12-19-TOC_EN.html
events/1
date
2019-12-19T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2019-0107_EN.html title: T9-0107/2019
summary
events/1
date
2019-12-19T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
body
EP
docs
url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2019-0107_EN.html title: T9-0107/2019
summary
2020-01-19Show (2) Changes
docs/7
date
2019-12-19T00:00:00
docs
url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2019-0107_EN.html title: T9-0107/2019
type
Text adopted by Parliament, single reading
body
EP
events/1/summary
  • The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Afghanistan, notably the allegations of sexual abuse of boys in the Logar Province.
  • The text adopted in plenary was tabled as a joint resolution by the EPP, S&D, Renew, Greens/EFA, ECR and GUE/NGL groups.
  • The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported that 136 Afghan boys in at least six schools in Logar province have been sexually abused by a paedophile ring. Sexual abuse, rape and exploitation of boys, a practice known as bacha bazi that constitutes child sex slavery, is prevalent in several provinces of Afghanistan.
  • The bachas, typically boys between 10 and 18 years old, are bought or kidnapped from impoverished families by influential members of the elite in rural areas, including politicians and army officers. Head teachers, teachers and local authorities from the Logar province have been implicated.
  • Impunity for sexual violence is common due to the powerful positions often held by the perpetrators, disbelief within victims’ families and communities, and a value system that places family honour above the individual interest of the child.
  • Parliament expressed its serious concern about the prevalence of deeply-rooted practices of sexual abuse against boys, the impunity of the perpetrators and the vulnerable position of the victims. Members acknowledged the recent reaction of the Afghan authorities and their move to investigate and prosecute those responsible and reminded the authorities that the protection of children and other vulnerable groups must be the core of any human rights protection policy.
  • Afghan central and local authorities are called on to continue active measures to eradicate the bacha bazi practice in the country.
  • The Afghan Government is specifically called on to:
  • immediately suspend from their positions the persons allegedly implicated in cases of sexual abuse and violence until the investigation has been concluded; provide the victims and their families with the necessary medical, psychological and social support; immediately establish a protection and reporting mechanism for organisations and advocates that report and expose children’s rights abuses; set up a national victim support helpline dedicated to children’s rights abuses; make full use of national and international law on child rights protection; ensure that human rights defenders are able to carry out their human rights work free of threats, intimidation, or impediment; start a nationwide campaign to educate society about the prohibition of bacha bazi and the right of minors to be protected from such physical and sexual abuse.
  • The resolution stated that only through a combination of law enforcement and education on the issue will it be possible to achieve the cultural change needed in Afghan society to eliminate this practice.
  • Lastly, Parliament called on EU Member States with diplomatic missions in Afghanistan and their development agencies on the ground to assist the authorities and local civil society actors working to eradicate the bacha bazi practice from Afghan society.
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