The World Bank cited its deepest concerns over the Taliban’s ban on girls’ entry into high schools. (file)
Washington:
The bank said the World Bank has halted four projects worth $600 million in Afghanistan amid concerns over a decision by the country’s ruling Islamist leaders to ban girls from returning to public high schools.
The projects to be funded under the Revised Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund were being prepared for implementation by United Nations agencies to support projects in agriculture, education, health and livelihoods.
But the bank’s guidance requires all ARTF-funded activities to support access and services equity for women and girls in Afghanistan, the bank said, adding to its deep concerns over the Taliban’s ban on girls attending high school. with citing a reference.
As a result, the bank said, the four projects will be submitted to ARTF donors for approval only “when the World Bank and international partners have a better understanding of the situation and confidence that the projects’ goals can be met.” It was not immediately clear when that might happen.
US officials last week canceled planned meetings in Doha with the Taliban over a decision to keep girls out of secondary school.
The World Bank’s executive board on March 1 approved a plan to use more than $1 billion from ARTF funds to finance urgently needed education, agriculture, health and family programs that would bypass sanctioned Taliban officials and The United Nations will distribute the funds through agencies and aid. group.
The ARTF was shut down in August when the Taliban took power as US-led international troops left after 20 years of war.
Foreign governments also ended financial aid, which covered more than 70 percent of government expenditure, accelerating the country’s economic collapse.
When it agreed to free up ARTF funds for new projects to be implemented by United Nations agencies, the World Bank determined that it was expected to “emphasize ensuring that girls and women participate and Benefit from the support.”
The Taliban have disclosed gains in rights made by women during the past two decades, including banning them from work and limiting their travel, unless they have a close male relative with them. Most of the girls were also barred from going to school after the seventh grade.
But Taliban leaders said all girls would be allowed to return to classes at the end of this month.
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