RASC News Agency: In a sharply argued analysis, Nora Neilland, a human rights expert, raises a fundamental question “Do Afghanistani lives matter?” while examining the country’s deepening economic and humanitarian crisis. She calls for urgent international action, particularly to restore the functional role of Da Afghanistan Bank, the country’s central bank.
Afghanistan, despite its rich cultural heritage and untapped resources, has become a country where millions struggle for survival. Daily life for many Afghanistani citizens is defined by hunger, lack of access to clean water, healthcare, and basic services. Widespread poverty and rising debt have placed the country among the poorest globally. At the same time, the Taliban’s systematic and restrictive policies especially those targeting women and girls have directly intensified social and economic deprivation.
Neilland argues that part of the current crisis stems from international policies that, rather than engaging constructively, have taken a punitive approach exerting economic pressure that disproportionately harms ordinary citizens. Meanwhile, the Taliban’s continuation of ideological restrictions, particularly on women’s rights, has further obstructed recovery and entrenched systemic inequality.
The roots of Afghanistan’s poverty trace back decades, including the war economy that followed the September 11 attacks, which deepened structural inequalities. According to the analysis, the U.S.-led military presence also contributed to weakening governance and enabling corruption, factors that ultimately paved the way for the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Since then, their reimposition of restrictive policies especially against women has intensified.
Following the Taliban’s return, the United States and its allies implemented sweeping punitive measures. The abrupt halt of financial aid which previously covered roughly 75% of government spending and the freezing of $9.1 billion in Afghanistan’s foreign reserves effectively paralyzed the central banking system. This, combined with Taliban governance failures, led to an economic suffocation.
To mitigate collapse, the United Nations established an emergency mechanism to transfer U.S. dollars into Afghanistan to sustain humanitarian programs. These funds also enabled the central bank to stabilize the national currency through foreign exchange auctions. However, a sharp decline in Western aid since 2025 particularly the suspension of U.S. contributions, which accounted for over 40% of total assistance has placed this mechanism at serious risk.
Current figures are stark: approximately 21.9 million Afghanistani people around 45% of the population require urgent humanitarian assistance. Over one-third face acute food insecurity. The World Food Programme warns that about 3.7 million children need treatment for malnutrition. Meanwhile, the closure of more than 420 health facilities has increased maternal and infant mortality conditions worsened by Taliban restrictions on women’s access to healthcare and employment.
Neilland characterizes prevailing international policy as a form of “collective punishment,” arguing that it places overwhelming pressure on Afghanistan’s economy without adequately accounting for human consequences. At the same time, Taliban-imposed restrictions on education, employment, and public participation disproportionately harm the most vulnerable especially women.
Compounding the crisis is the forced return of millions of Afghanistani migrants from neighboring countries and Europe, alongside declining remittances. According to UN data, nearly 90% of households are resorting to high-risk survival strategies. This unfolds in an environment where Taliban policies have severely limited economic and social opportunities.
In 2022, the United States transferred half of Afghanistan’s frozen reserves $3.5 billion into the “Afghanistan’s Fund” in Switzerland, intended to support economic stabilization. However, Neilland argues that political considerations have rendered this mechanism largely inactive. These funds, she emphasizes, belong to the Afghanistani people, and restricted access has contributed to worsening mortality and hardship.
She also points to countries like Switzerland, noting that despite their stated commitment to human rights, their participation in such policies raises serious ethical questions. At the same time, the Taliban’s continued repression particularly against women undermines any claims of improving humanitarian conditions.
In conclusion, Neilland stresses that Afghanistani lives do matter and calls for a shift away from policies that produce what she describes as “engineered poverty.” She proposes the supervised release of at least $150 million per month to strengthen the central bank, alongside increased investment in sustainable development especially livelihood and entrepreneurship programs for women. However, she cautions that without meaningful changes in Taliban policies and an end to systemic repression, such efforts will remain extremely difficult to implement.
