The World Bank has come up with a decision to put four projects in Afghanistan worth $600 million on hold amid concerns over a decision by the country leaders to ban girls from returning to public high schools.

According to Reuters, the projects, to be funded under the revamped Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund, were being readied for implementation by United Nations agencies to support projects in agriculture, education, health, and livelihoods.

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It is reported that the bank’s guidance requires all ARTF-financed activities to support access to – and equity of services for – women and girls in Afghanistan. It also said that it is deeply concerned over the Taliban’s ban on girls attending high school.

As a result, the bank said, the four projects will be presented to ARTF donors for approval only “when the World Bank and international partners have a better understanding of the situation and confidence that the goals of the projects can be met.” It was not immediately clear when that could occur.

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Last week, the US officials cancelled planned meetings in Doha with the Taliban over the decision to keep girls out of secondary school.

The executive board of the World Bank on March 1 approved a plan to use more than $1 billion from the ARTF fund to finance urgently needed education, agriculture, health and family programs that would bypass sanctioned Taliban authorities and disburse the money through UN agencies and aid groups.

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The ARTF was frozen in August when the Taliban took power as US-led international troops departed after 20 years of war.

The Taliban has unravelled gains in rights made by women during the last two decades, including restricting them from working and limiting their travel unless accompanied by a close male relative. Most girls were also barred from going to school beyond seventh grade.

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But Taliban leaders had said all girls would be allowed to return to classrooms later this month.