U.S. asset freezes worsen Afghan women's suffering - U.N. experts

By Emma Farge

GENEVA – America, in addition to the Taliban authorities, is contributing to the struggling of girls in Afghanistan by asset freezes, U.N. unbiased consultants mentioned on Monday.

The United Nations and overseas governments, together with Washington, have condemned strikes by the Taliban to backtrack on ladies’s rights commitments resembling on women’ training within the months following their takeover in Aug. 2021.

Nevertheless, the assertion by 14 U.N. unbiased rights consultants additionally blamed the U.S. authorities for making life worse for Afghan ladies by blocking billions of dollars of central financial institution belongings made up in a part of assist cash for the nation collected over a long time.

“Whereas gender-based violence has been a long-standing and extreme risk to ladies and women, it has been exacerbated by the measures imposed by the US…,” mentioned the assertion, with out giving particular particulars.

It additionally blamed the Taliban’s “widening gender-based discrimination” for deteriorating ladies’s rights.

The present humanitarian disaster the place 23 million are reliant on meals assist is having a “disproportionate impression” on ladies and kids, the assertion added.

Central financial institution funds have been frozen since August because the Taliban took over and overseas forces withdrew.

U.S. President Joe Biden issued an government order in February to resume the freeze and mentioned it was working to release half of that cash to assist the Afghan individuals whereas holding the remaining to presumably fulfill terrorism-related lawsuits in opposition to the Taliban.

The U.N. consultants appointed by the Geneva-based Rights Council referred to as the order’s provisions “overly broad” and mentioned they had been leading to “over-zealous compliance with sanctions thus stopping individuals of Afghanistan from any entry to primary humanitarian items”.

Below worldwide human rights regulation, governments together with the USA have an obligation to make sure their actions don't lead to rights violations, the assertion mentioned.

The consultants mentioned they previously relayed their considerations and suggestions to Washington. They haven't but acquired a reply, they mentioned. Reuters is looking for remark from the USA.