Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Foreign aid groups halt work after Taliban ban on female staff

Foreign aid groups halt work after Taliban ban on female staff

Five top non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have halted work in Afghanistan after women were banned from working for them by the Taliban government.
Care International, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and Save the Children said they could not continue their work "without our female staff".

The International Rescue Committee also suspended services while Islamic Relief said it was stopping most of its work.

Afghanistan's ruling Taliban have been steadily repressing women's rights.

The latest edict on NGOs came just days after the Taliban banned women from attending university.

Abdel Rahman Habib, spokesman for the Taliban's ministry of economy, accused female workers at the foreign aid groups of breaking dress codes by not wearing hijabs.

The Taliban threatened to cancel the licence of any organisation that did not swiftly comply with the ban.

A number of aid groups have since spoken out, demanding that women should be allowed to continue working for them.

The leaders of Care, the NRC and Save the Children said in a joint statement the organisations "would not have jointly reached millions of Afghans in need since August 2021" were it not for their female staff.

"Whilst we gain clarity on this announcement, we are suspending our programmes, demanding that men and women can equally continue our lifesaving assistance in Afghanistan," their statement added.

Separately, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) - which employs 3,000 women across Afghanistan - said its ability to deliver services relied on "female staff at all levels of our organisation" and if women could not be employed, they could not deliver to "those in need".

Islamic Relief said it had taken the "difficult decision to temporarily suspend non-lifesaving activities in Afghanistan" including "projects that support impoverished families to earn a living as well as education and some healthcare projects". Life-saving healthcare, it added, would continue.

"Islamic Relief is calling on the Afghan authorities to immediately lift the ban on female NGO workers," the organisation said.

"The ban will have a devastating humanitarian impact on millions of vulnerable men, women and children across the country. We are dismayed that this ruling comes just a few days after increased restrictions on Afghan girls' access to education."

Ramiz Alakbarov, the United Nations' top humanitarian coordinator, said the UN was trying to get the ban reversed and that it was a "red line for the entire humanitarian community".

The United Nations could stop humanitarian aid delivery in Afghanistan if the Taliban authorities do not reverse their edict banning women aid workers, the official told the BBC.

But Mr Alakbarov said it was still unclear what the Taliban meant by its edict.

He said the Taliban's minister of health had told the UN the agency should continue its health-related work and women could "report to work and discharge their services".

Other ministries had also contacted the UN directly to say work in the areas of disaster management and emergencies should continue, he added.

Jan Egeland of the NRC said nearly 500 of the aid group's 1,400 workers were women, and that female staff had been operating "according to all traditional values, dress code, movement, [and] separation of offices".

He said he hoped the decision would be "reversed in the next few days" and warned that millions would suffer if NGOs' work was obstructed.

NGOs also expressed concern about the effect the ban would have on jobs "in the midst of an enormous economic crisis".

Female Afghan NGO workers acting as the main earners in their household previously told the BBC of their fear and helplessness following the ban.

One asked: "If I cannot go to my job, who can support my family?" Another breadwinner called the news "shocking" and insisted she had complied with the Taliban's strict dress code.

The ban triggered international outcry, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warning it would "disrupt vital and life-saving assistance to millions".

Since seizing back control of the country last year, the Taliban have steadily restricted women's rights - despite promising its rule would be softer than the regime seen in the 1990s.

As well as the bans on NGO workers and female university students - in the case of students, now being enforced by armed guards - secondary schools for girls remain closed in most provinces.

Women have also been prevented from entering parks and gyms, among other public places.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Qatar Airways Clears Backlog of Passengers Following Missile Threats
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
×