The UN experts have urged the Taliban to reconsider the decree and align their legal framework with international standards, warning that failure to do so could deepen the country’s crisis and further erode public trust in state institutions.
The path to the Kalash Marriage Bill began five years ago, driven by community leaders and civil society organisations concerned about the erosion of indigenous rights.
Critics accuse the interim government of failing to protect minorities and civil rights, amid allegations of arbitrary arrests. The withdrawal of the CAT reservation is seen as a crucial reform, potentially aiding over 1,000 custody deaths and 677 disappearances reported during Hasina’s era.
These developments occur against a backdrop of worsening human rights under Taliban rule, including severe restrictions on women and girls, arbitrary detentions, and impunity for abuses.
The UN appeal comes at a moment when humanitarian funding is already stretched by multiple crises. While CERF has provided rapid support, broader donor commitments remain insufficient relative to the scale of projected need.
South Asia’s lead crisis is not inevitable. Experience elsewhere demonstrates that decisive regulation, industrial formalisation and community-level interventions can sharply reduce exposure.
The UN appeal comes at a moment when humanitarian funding is already stretched by multiple crises. While CERF has provided rapid support, broader donor commitments remain insufficient relative to the scale of projected need.