In a letter on Saturday, the Afghan Ministry of Economic Affairs demanded that employees of all national and international NGOs be suspended from their work until further notice. The reason for this is that the women did not comply with the Taliban Islamic militant leadership’s regulations regarding wearing the hijab, i.e. a headscarf. If an organization fails to comply with this order, its license will be revoked, the letter said.
The announcement by the Islamist militants has raised concern around the world. Among others, the UN Secretary General, the EU Commission and the US and German foreign ministers condemned the measure.
Afghanistan: almost no rights for women
In Afghanistan, the Taliban continue to restrict women’s rights. Now, employees of humanitarian organizations are no longer allowed to work. Girls and women are largely excluded from public life. Fewer and fewer women are protesting for their rights.
Thousands of jobs affected
Humanitarian organizations Care, Save the Children and the Norwegian Refugee Agency stressed that without women, millions of Afghans would not have received any aid since the Taliban took power in August 2021. “As we gain clarity on this announcement , we are suspending our programs and demanding that women and men continue to provide life-saving assistance in Afghanistan.” Thousands of jobs are affected by demand in the midst of a tremendous economic crisis.
Another NGO, the International Rescue Committee, had already spoken of more than 3,000 workers in the country alone. “Our workers are essential to deliver humanitarian aid in Afghanistan,” she tweeted.
APA/AFP/Wakil Kohsar The situation of women in Afghanistan deteriorated dramatically after the seizure of power
UN Secretary-General Guterres ‘deeply concerned’
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was “deeply concerned” by the Taliban’s alleged order, his spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said in New York on Saturday (local time). “This decision will undermine the work of many organizations across the country that are helping the most vulnerable, especially women and girls.” The United Nations and its partners, including national and international NGOs, are currently supporting more than 28 million Afghans who are battling Afghans who depended on humanitarian aid for their survival.
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Concern about the latest educational opportunities for women
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also expressed “deep concern” on Twitter late Saturday night (local time). This ban on women will halt the delivery of humanitarian aid in Afghanistan. “Women play a central role in relief efforts around the world,” said Blinken. Such a decision could have devastating consequences for the people of Afghanistan.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock rejected the request on Sunday. “We will not accept the Taliban making humanitarian aid a pawn in their misogyny,” the green politician tweeted. “They steal another basic right from half the population, violate humanitarian principles and put people’s vital needs at risk.” Gender-based harassment can also be a crime against humanity. “We are committed to a clear response from the international community.”
EU: “Clear violation of humanitarian principles”
European Commission spokeswoman Nabila Massrali described the move as a “clear violation of humanitarian principles”. The EU is currently assessing the impact the ban will have on its aid to Afghanistan, it wrote on Twitter late on Sunday.
Since taking power in August 2021, Islamist militants have severely restricted women’s rights in Afghanistan. Many women were not allowed to return to work. Girls and women are now largely excluded from public life. On Tuesday, the Taliban banned women from all universities. In the past, women who protested for their rights were repeatedly detained, sometimes for several weeks.