Human Rights Watch (HRW) cautioned against normalizing relations with the Taliban without establishing clear human rights benchmarks, particularly concerning the situation in Afghanistan. The warning coincided with a UN report detailing the damaging effects of five years of Taliban governance on Afghan children and young people. UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett highlighted the systematic discrimination, repression, and ideological control imposed by the Taliban, hindering access to education, freedom of expression, and participation in public life. He specifically noted the dire consequences of denying girls education beyond the sixth grade and the increasing exposure of children to gender-based violence, forced marriage, and child labor. Both HRW and Bennett urged international recognition of gender apartheid as a crime against humanity and support for International Criminal Court investigations into abuses in Afghanistan. The policies are severely curtailing opportunities for future generations and damaging the country’s overall development.