The United Nations warned that the Taliban-run government in Afghanistan’s decision to restrict female workers from working on Saturday would hamper humanitarian efforts as winter descended on the nation already suffering from an economic crisis.
According to a letter from the economy ministry, which was confirmed by spokesperson Abdulrahman Habib, some female employees of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were not following the administration’s interpretation of the Islamic dress code for women and were therefore not permitted to work until further notice.
It is happening only a few days after the government instructed universities to stop accepting women, generating widespread outrage as well as some demonstrations and harsh criticism inside Afghanistan.
Both judgements represent the most recent limitations on women that are likely to jeopardise the Taliban-run government’s efforts to win international legitimacy and lift the heavy economic sanctions it is facing.
Using Twitter, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, “We are extremely worried that this action “would obstruct crucial and life-saving assistance to millions,” and we also stress the importance of women in humanitarian efforts worldwide. The Afghan people may suffer greatly as a result of this choice.”
The U.N. had not yet received the order, but Ramiz Alakbarov, the constable for Afghanistan and coordinator of humanitarian affairs, told Reuters that it would have a significant impact because most of its activities were carried out through contracted NGOs.
“Many of our programmes will be affected,” he said; because in order to assess humanitarian needs and identify recipients and conduct relief programmes, they would require female workers.
AfghanAid, a global humanitarian organisation, announced that it was immediately ceasing activities while consulting with other organisations and that other NGOs were following suit.
Millions of Afghans have access to aid programmes, but they might be in risk when the nation’s mountainous population depends on it more than half the year and when it’s the coldest there.
“There’s never a right time for anything like this … but this particular time is very unfortunate because during winter time people are most in need and Afghan winters are very harsh,” said Alakbarov.
On Sunday, he added, his office will confer with NGOs and U.N. organisations and try to arrange a meeting with Taliban officials to get an explanation.
In a nation where regulations and cultural norms primarily prohibit male employees from delivering aid to female clients, charity workers say female personnel are critical.
“An important principle of delivery of humanitarian aid is the ability of women to participate independently and in an unimpeded way in its distribution so if we can’t do it in a principled way then no donors will be funding any programs like that,” Alakbarov said.
When questioned if the regulations specifically related to U.N. organisations, Habib responded that the letter only pertained to those operating under ACBAR, Afghanistan’s coordinating agency for humanitarian organisations. That group consists of over 180 national and international NGOs but excludes the United Nations.
The letter warned that if they didn’t comply, their licences would be suspended.
Since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in 2021, the country has been subject to sanctions, reductions in foreign assistance, and a freeze on central bank assets, tipping an already fragile economy into disaster.
According to AfghanAid, a record 28 million Afghans are expected to require humanitarian assistance in 2019.
