A/HRC/25/41 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 10 January 2014 Original: English Human Rights Council Twenty-fifth session Agenda items 2 and 10 Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General Technical assistance and capacity-building Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan and on the achievements of technical assistance in the field of human rights in 2013 Summary The human rights situation in Afghanistan continues to face serious challenges, with the 2014 elections and scheduled conclusion of security transition creating an environment of uncertainty, including for human rights. Many Afghans, especially women, fear that achievements made in the protection and promotion of human rights since 2001 will be increasingly at risk. There are signs that hard-won gains may be forfeited for the sake of short-term political goals, undermining the fragile stability to which respect for human rights and the rule of law has contributed. In this context, I was pleased to pay my first visit to Kabul from 15 to 17 September 2013 to meet with the Government and other stakeholders. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) continued to provide strong support to the human rights mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). GE.14-10129 *1410129*