The UN Human Rights Council says it will hold an "emergency meeting" to address the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan.

France and the European Union have written a letter to the council saying that the "significant deterioration" in the human rights situation of women and girls in Afghanistan requires "serious attention" by the council.

The letter called on the UN Human Rights Council to hold an emergency meeting on Afghan women during its 50th session.

"Following this urgent discussion, we urge the Council to consider a resolution which we will distribute as soon as possible," the letter from France and the European Union said.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights last week criticized the Taliban for "organized oppression" of women and girls in Afghanistan, warning that women were in a "critical" situation.
Afghans are experiencing "the darkest moments" since the Taliban came to power.

Since the establishment of the UN Human Rights Council in 2006, seven emergency meetings have been held during regular meetings of the Human Rights Council. The last case was in Ukraine in March.

Since taking power, the Taliban have stripped Afghan women of their achievements over the past two decades, restricting their access to education, government jobs and freedom of movement.