US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken expressed serious concern over the Taliban regime’s decision to ban women from working in Afghanistan. “This decision could be devastating for the Afghan people. Women are central to humanitarian operations around the world,” Blinken wrote on Twitter.
The Ministry of Economy under the interim Toligan regime on Saturday ordered all national and international non-governmental organizations to suspend the employment of female employees until further notice, Afghan news agency TOLO News reported. Citing Taliban spokesman Abdul Rahman Habib, TOLOnews has warned that any organization that fails to comply with the Afghan Ministry of Economy (MOE) order will lose its MN license.
The US special representative for Afghanistan, Thomas West, said that the Islamic Emirate (Afghanistan’s Taliban regime) had forgotten its true responsibility to its people in response to the temporary ban on women. “The Taliban’s decree banning women from working in the delivery of humanitarian aid is extremely irresponsible. It puts millions of people who depend on life-saving aid at risk of death,” said West.
According to TOLO News, citing the Office of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, “The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the reported order of the Taliban, which effectively bans women from working in national and international non-governmental organizations.” The latest decision follows efforts by Afghanistan’s Ministry of Higher Education to suspend higher education for female students in early December. The decision led to widespread protests and global condemnation.
In response to recent Taliban moves to ban women from working in national and international NGOs, the German Embassy in Afghanistan said: “Women are no longer allowed to work in NGOs; it is yet another outrageous act against women, including all women dependent on them. Basic and dedicated NGO work. The victims are once again the donors and their beneficiaries, the weakest and most in need.” Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeld “strongly condemned” the decision and called for its “immediate reversal,” TOLO news reported. .
“I strongly condemn the ban on female employees of non-governmental organizations in Afghanistan. This decision should be immediately reversed. Norway will review the situation with its partners and respond accordingly,” he said. The Australian Embassy in Afghanistan also issued a statement saying, “We condemn the Taliban’s decision to ban women from working in NGOs and international organizations. It goes against humanitarian principles, further marginalizes women and girls, and affects the poorest Afghans. Let the Taliban cancel this decision.” (ANI)
(This story was not edited by Devdiscourse staff and was auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
