Taliban bans female NGO staff, jeopardizing aid efforts
(VOVWORLD) - Afghanistan's Taliban-run administration on Saturday ordered all local and foreign NGOs to stop female employees from working, in a move the UN said would hit humanitarian operations just as winter grips a country already in economic crisis.
 A Taliban fighter is seen at the Taliban flag-raising ceremony in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 31, 2022. (Photo: REUTERS) |
A letter from the economy ministry, confirmed by spokesperson Abdulrahman Habib, said female employees of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were not allowed to work until further notice because some had not adhered to the administration's interpretation of Islamic dresscode for women.
It comes days after the administration ordered universities to close to women, prompting global condemnation and sparking some protests and heavy criticism inside Afghanistan.
Both decisions are the latest restrictions on women that are likely to undermine the Taliban-run administration's efforts to gain international recognition and clear sanctions that are severely hampering the economy.
International aid agency AfghanAid said it was immediately suspending operations while it consulted with other organizations, and that other NGOs were taking similar actions.
Ramiz Alakbarov, the UN deputy special representative for Afghanistan and humanitarian coordinator, said his office would consult with NGOs and UN agencies on Sunday and seek to meet with Taliban authorities for an explanation.