UN Seeks Clarity From Taliban Over Ban On Women From Working In NGOs

United Nations is seeking to meet with the Taliban leadership to obtain clarity on the reported order barring all female employees of national and international organizations (NGOs) from going to work, according to the UN Humanitarian office, OCHA.

"The UN will seek to meet with the Taliban leadership to obtain clarity on the reported order. Women must be enabled to play a critical role in all aspects of life, including the humanitarian response," the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement on Saturday.

"Their participation must be both respected and safeguarded. This latest decision will only further hurt those most vulnerable, especially women and girls," the statement added.

On Saturday, the Taliban regime ordered all local and foreign NGOs to stop female employees from coming to work in the country. The Taliban-led Ministry of Economy (MOE) ordered all national and international non-government organizations to suspend the jobs of female employees until further announcement, TOLO news reported.

This order came only a few days after the Taliban ordered the closure of universities to female students across the country.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed deep concern about the ban imposed by the Taliban on women from working for national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

"The Secretary-General is deeply disturbed by the reported order of the de facto Taliban authorities banning women from working for national and international non-governmental organizations," said Secretary-General Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric in a statement.

"This decision will undermine the work of numerous organizations working across the country helping those most vulnerable, especially women and girls," he added.

The United Nations and its partners, including national and international NGOs, are helping more than 28 million Afghans who depend on humanitarian aid to survive. The reported ban on women working with the international community to save lives and livelihoods in Afghanistan will cause further untold hardship for the people of Afghanistan.

UN Secretary-General reiterated the rights of all women to participate in the workforce thus contributing to the greater good.

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