“We are deeply dismayed,” writes the State Department. The SPÖ recently criticized Austria’s failure to take part in a statement by several foreign ministers on a ban on women’s work.
Austria also condemns the work ban for employees of non-governmental organizations in Afghanistan, announced by the Taliban on 24 December. “We are deeply dismayed by the Taliban’s decision to ban women from working in humanitarian NGOs,” the Foreign Ministry said on Twitter on Friday. It is another burden on women that causes them to be ostracized from Afghan society.
“Women’s participation is critical to humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan and must continue,” the State Department said. Austria did not take part in the declaration published on Thursday by several foreign ministers on the ban on women’s work and was criticized for this by the SPÖ. Petra Bayr, spokesperson for the SPÖ for global development, asked on Thursday why Austria is not joining the call for the work ban to be lifted. “What actions are still needed by the Taliban before Foreign Minister Schallenberg (ÖVP, note) finally takes a clear stand and draws the necessary conclusions?”
Austria was not involved in the initiative
The Foreign Ministry said that “Austria – like the vast majority of other EU member states, which are very active on human rights issues, especially in defending women’s rights – was not involved in this initiative”. A spokeswoman emphasized that Austria only learned of the statement when it was published. The declaration was signed by the foreign ministers of the United States, Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and the head of EU foreign policy.
The Taliban justified the ban by saying some women did not adhere to the prescribed interpretation of the Islamic dress code. Following further restrictions on women’s rights, several international aid organizations are temporarily suspending their work in the country. Last week, the Taliban banned the country’s female students from public and private universities with immediate effect. Girls were banned from secondary schools in March.
(APA)