The Taliban Ministry of Economy has ordered all non-governmental organizations to stop working with women.
Three foreign NGOs announced on Sunday December 25 that they were suspending their activities in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s ban on NGOs working with women, according to a joint statement. “Until this announcement is clarified, we are suspending our programs, demanding that men and women can continue our help to save lives in Afghanistan in the same way.Save the Children, the Norwegian Refugee Council and CARE International said in the statement.
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On Saturday, the Afghan Ministry of Economy ordered all non-governmental organizations to stop working with women or risk having their operating license suspended. It was unclear whether the directive applied to foreign female NGO staff. In the letter sent to local and international NGOs, the ministry explains that it took this decision after receiving “serious complaintsaccording to which the women working in these NGOs did not respect the wearing of theislamic hijab“. In Afghanistan women are forced to cover their face and their entire body.
“The UN will seek to meet with Taliban leaders to seek clarification on the reported orderthe UN said in a statement, while condemning the decree. She reminds the Afghan authorities that by excluding women “systematically in all aspects of public and political life” they do “set the country back by undermining efforts to bring peace and meaningful stability to the country“.