Taliban orders closure of NGOs employing Afghan women 

The Taliban has announced its intention to shut down all national and foreign non-government organisations (NGOs) in Afghanistan that employ women, escalating its crackdown on women’s rights since assuming power in August 2021.

This latest directive follows a two-year-old order instructing NGOs to suspend the employment of Afghan women, allegedly because they failed to wear the Islamic headscarf properly. 

According to CNN, in a letter published on X on Sunday night, the Ministry of Economy warned that any NGO failing to comply with the new mandate would have its operating licence revoked.

The United Nations expressed deep concern over the decision, noting that women’s space in Afghanistan has been severely diminished in recent years.

”This really impacts how we can provide life-saving humanitarian assistance to all the people in Afghanistan,” said UN associate spokesperson Florencia Soto Nino-Martinez. 

“And obviously we are very concerned by the fact that we are talking about a country where half the population’s rights are being denied and are living in poverty, and many of them, not just women, are facing a humanitarian crisis.”

According to the Taliban’s letter, the Economy Ministry oversees the registration, leadership, and supervision of all activities carried out by national and foreign organisations. 

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The ministry reiterated its stance against female employment in institutions not under its control, stating, “In case of lack of cooperation, all activities of that institution will be canceled and the activity license of that institution, granted by the ministry, will also be canceled.”

The move marks yet another attempt by the Taliban to assert control over NGOs, following reports that their morality police increasingly obstruct the work of humanitarian staff. 

A senior UN official, Tom Fletcher, revealed that many organisations have reported their female and male employees being stopped by Taliban authorities despite the pressing need for relief efforts in the country.