RASC News Agency: The Taliban have reiterated their prohibition on women working in non-governmental organizations (NGOs), warning both domestic and international institutions of severe consequences if they fail to comply with the directive. Marking the second anniversary of the controversial ban, the Taliban’s Ministry of Economy issued a formal statement, demanding strict adherence to the policy. The ministry warned that any organization found employing women would face immediate suspension of activities and the revocation of operational licenses.
In an official notice issued on Thursday, December 26, Mohammad Alam, the Taliban’s Deputy Minister for Finance and Administration, underscored the group’s unwavering stance against women’s employment in NGOs. He emphasized that violators of the ban would face decisive action, including the cessation of their operations. This directive follows an earlier order issued in December 2022, in which the Taliban’s Ministry of Finance instructed NGOs to terminate the employment of all female staff and replace them with male employees.
The Taliban’s ban has provoked strong international condemnation. Numerous global organizations have suspended their operations in Afghanistan, citing the policy as a direct impediment to delivering life-saving humanitarian assistance. Aid groups warn that the exclusion of women has crippled efforts to reach vulnerable populations, particularly women and children who rely on female aid workers for critical services. Domestically, the ban has sparked outrage among Afghanistani citizens, who view it as yet another attempt by the Taliban to erase women from public and professional life. Despite widespread opposition, the Taliban continue to enforce increasingly repressive measures against women, systematically stripping them of basic rights and freedoms.
The global community has repeatedly called for the Taliban to reverse their policies, urging the restoration of women’s roles in humanitarian efforts and public life. Yet, the group remains defiant, deepening the humanitarian crisis and escalating the plight of Afghanistani women and girls.
