Accountability

LGBTIQ+ Afghans continue to face some of the gravest human rights violations in the world, including targeted violence, torture, sexual violence, forced marriage, disappearance, and arbitrary detention under the Taliban. These abuses form part of broader gender-based crimes and patterns of persecution that remain severely under-documented and overlooked. ALO’s Accountability Program exists to address this critical gap.

As a refugee-led organization embedded in affected communities, ALO plays a vital role in documenting violations that would otherwise remain invisible. Our team collects survivor testimonies, evidence, and patterns of abuse using rigorous, trauma-sensitive, and ethically grounded methodologies. Safeguarding, confidentiality, and survivor protection guide every aspect of our work.

Documentation & Evidence Building

ALO conducts systematic documentation of violations such as:

• Targeted killings, torture, and violent attacks
• Arbitrary arrests and incommunicado detention of LGBTIQ+ people
• Sexual violence and coercion
• Forced marriage and gender-based persecution
• Threats, blackmail, and community-based violence
• Discriminatory restrictions that deny basic rights, safety, and movement

Our documentation contributes to international justice processes, strengthens recognition of SOGIESC-based and gender-based crimes, and supports long-term accountability efforts.

Engagement With International Accountability Mechanisms

ALO actively engages with international bodies to ensure that crimes committed against LGBTIQ+ Afghans are recognized, investigated, and not erased from international scrutiny. Our engagements include:

• The International Criminal Court (ICC): providing evidence and analysis relevant to crimes under its jurisdiction, including gender persecution and targeted violence against LGBTIQ+ people.
• UN Special Procedures: through submissions outlining patterns of persecution and systematic abuses.
• UN Treaty Bodies: contributing to periodic reviews and recommendations on state obligations.
• The UN Human Rights Council: delivering oral statements, hosting side events, and briefing member states.
• Independent investigative mechanisms and expert bodies, supporting the classification and analysis of international crimes.

Through these efforts, ALO ensures that LGBTIQ+ Afghans are included within international accountability frameworks and that gender-based crimes are properly recognized.

Policy Influence & High-Level Advocacy

ALO regularly briefs governments, UN bodies, human rights institutions, and civil society actors on the evolving risks and violations affecting LGBTIQ+ Afghans. Our advocacy focuses on:

• Recognition of gender-based crimes and SOGIESC-based persecution as serious violations of international law
• Inclusion of LGBTIQ+ communities in Afghanistan-related investigations
• Survivor-centered justice approaches
• Strengthening legal frameworks that acknowledge gender persecution as a crime against humanity
• Ensuring that accountability bodies address intersectional forms of discrimination and harm

Through this work, ALO brings lived realities into the heart of international legal and policy discussions.

Gender Persecution Working Group (GPWG)

ALO co-chairs the Gender Persecution Working Group (GPWG) alongside MADRE and the CUNY School of Law. This international coalition of legal experts, advocates, and organizations works to advance the recognition of gender persecution, support documentation efforts, and strengthen justice processes for survivors worldwide.

👉 Visit our dedicated page for more information.