Taliban demand suspension of NGO workers in Afghanistan Experts are puzzled: Putin could be planning another attack from Belarus

A ban on women from working in non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Afghanistan has raised international concern. 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). The Swiss foreign ministry was shocked, it said.

The Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs (EDA) is evaluating the consequences for humanitarian efforts, writes Saturday evening on the short message service Twitter. “We call on the Taliban to reconsider the decision,” the EDA said.

“This decision will undermine the work of many organizations across the country that help the most vulnerable, especially women and girls,” Guterres said. 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 UN Secretary-General reiterates the right of all women to be part of the workforce and thus contribute to the common good, the spokesman continued.

Earlier on Saturday, the Afghan Ministry of Economic Affairs had written in a letter demanding that employees of all national and international NGOs be suspended until further notice. 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.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken 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.

The European Union 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. (sda/dpa)