In Afghanistan, employees of all national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are suspended until further notice.
The State Ministry of Economic Affairs demanded this in a letter on Saturday. The reason for this is that the women did not comply with the Taliban leadership’s regulations regarding the wearing of a hijab, or headscarf. If an organization fails to comply with this order, its license will be revoked, the letter said.
The Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs (EDA) is shocked by the plan of the Afghan Ministry of Economic Affairs. The FDFA is evaluating the impact on humanitarian efforts, it wrote on short message service Twitter. “We call on the Taliban to reconsider the decision,” the EDA said.
Strong international condemnations
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (60) also expressed “deep concern” on Twitter on Saturday evening (local time). This ban on women will disrupt the delivery of humanitarian aid in Afghanistan. “Women play a central role in humanitarian aid around the world,” says Blinken. Such a decision could have devastating consequences for the people of Afghanistan.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres was “deeply concerned” about the perceived order of the radical Islamic Taliban, his spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said in New York on Saturday (local time). “This decision will undermine the work of numerous organizations across the country that help the most vulnerable, especially women and girls.”
The United Nations and its partners, including national and international NGOs, are currently helping more than 28 million Afghans who depend on humanitarian aid for their survival.
The European Union also strongly condemns the recent ban on the Taliban, European Commission spokeswoman Nabila Massrali tweeted on Sunday evening. It is a “clear violation of humanitarian principles”. The EU is currently assessing the impact of the ban on its aid to Afghanistan.
Since taking power in August 2021, Islamists have massively curtailed the rights of women 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 stood up for their rights were repeatedly detained, sometimes for weeks. (kes/SDA)