Taliban Orders Closure of NGOs Employing Women in Afghanistan

The Taliban has announced that it will close all national and foreign nongovernmental groups in Afghanistan employing women. This comes two years after they told NGOs to suspend the employment of Afghan women, allegedly because they didn’t wear the Islamic headscarf correctly.

In a letter published on X Sunday night, the Economy Ministry warned that failure to comply with the latest order would lead to NGOs losing their license to operate in Afghanistan. The ministry stated that it was responsible for the registration, coordination, leadership and supervision of all activities carried out by national and foreign organizations.

The government is once again ordering the stoppage of all female work in institutions not controlled by the Taliban, according to the letter. If there is lack of cooperation, all activities of that institution will be canceled and the activity license of that institution, granted by the ministry, will also be canceled.

Taliban’s Latest Attempt to Control NGO Activity

It’s the Taliban’s latest attempt to control or intervene in NGO activity. Earlier this month, the U.N. Security Council heard that an increasing proportion of female Afghan humanitarian workers were prevented from doing their work even though relief work remains essential.

U.N. Official’s Statement

According to Tom Fletcher, a senior U.N. official, the proportion of humanitarian organizations reporting that their female or male staff were stopped by the Taliban’s morality police has also increased.

Trending Now

‘She will be deeply missed’: Mom of 3, school teacher identified as Calgary double homicide victim
B.C. teen no longer critical with avian flu, has been taken off oxygen

Taliban Denies Interference

The Taliban deny they are stopping aid agencies from carrying out their work or interfering with their activities. They have already barred women from many jobs and most public spaces, and also excluded them from education beyond sixth grade.

New Building Ordinance

In another development, the Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has ordered that buildings should not have windows looking into places where a woman might sit or stand. According to a four-clause decree posted on X late Saturday, the order applies to new buildings as well as existing ones.

Conclusion

The Taliban’s latest order is a clear attempt to further restrict the rights and freedoms of women in Afghanistan. The international community must condemn this move and continue to support humanitarian efforts in the country.

FAQs

Q: What is the Taliban’s reasoning behind closing NGOs employing women?

A: The Taliban claims that women are not wearing the Islamic headscarf correctly, and therefore, are not allowed to work in these organizations.

Q: How will this affect humanitarian work in Afghanistan?

A: The closure of NGOs employing women will severely impact humanitarian efforts in the country, as women are often at the forefront of relief work.

Q: What is the international community doing to address this issue?

A: The international community is condemning the Taliban’s move and calling for the reversal of this order. They are also continuing to support humanitarian efforts in the country.

&copy 2024 The Canadian Press