Taliban orders NGOs to stop employing female staff ‘until further notice’
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Kabul: Amid signs of Taliban becoming more repressive, the Afghan regime on Saturday ordered all non-governmental organisations to stop employing female staff.
The economy ministry spokesperson Abdulrahman Habib in a decree asked all local and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) not to employee female staff until further notice.
Following Taliban’s order International aid agency AfghanAid declared it was immediately suspending operations, adding that other NGSs would follow suit.
Taliban made it clear that some of the organisations were not implementing mandatory Islamic hijab or dress code for the female staff as prescribed by the Taliban administration.
The latest decree comes days after the administration asked universities to stop educating women, causing international outrage.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted to say that he was ‘deeply concerned” about the Taliban’s move, adding that it “will disrupt vital and life-saving assistance to millions”.
Taliban’s decision, Blinken said, could be devastating to the Afghan people as women are central to humanitarian operations around the world.
Just as the Taliban administration continues its efforts to gain international approbation both the repressive decisions could further isolate the nation.
Afghanistan is badly in need of fund to repair its failing economy as the nation has plunged into deeper crisis after Taliban returned to power.
Ramiz Alakbarov, the UN deputy special representative for Afghanistan and humanitarian coordinator said many of UN’s programmes would need female staff to identify beneficiaries, Reuters reported.
A large number of women came out in Kabul protesting against Taliban’s order that denied them education in universities.
Taliban forces stopped women from entering four universities in Kabul and filming the protests.