European Union ‘appalled’ by Taliban’s move to ban women workers from NGOs

Kabul: Josep Borell, European Union’s foreign policy chief, on Sunday condemned the Taliban administration’s decision to ban women from foreign and local non-governmental organisations in the country.

The announcement strives to completely erase women from public spaces. This also comes after Taliban’s decision to ban university education for women across the country.

Borell said that he was “appalled” by the latest move and urged the Taliban to lift the restrictions imposed on women as part of their obligation to respect international humanitarian law and principles.

He said, “Together with other providers of assistance to the people of Afghanistan, the EU will have to consider what consequences this decision, and the recent decision by the Taliban to close universities for women, will have on their engagement with our countries and organisations.”

Kabul, on the other hand, has defended its decision by saying that the recent ban was announced as “some women had not adhered to the Taliban’s interpretation of the Islamic dress code.”

Three foreign NGOs suspend operations from Afghanistan

Three foreign aid groups, including Save the Children, announced on Sunday they were suspending their operations in Afghanistan after the Taliban ordered all NGOs to stop their women staff from working.

The announcement came as top officials from the United Nations and dozens of NGOs operating in Afghanistan met in Kabul to discuss a way ahead after the Taliban’s latest restriction delivered a blow to humanitarian work across the country.

“We cannot effectively reach children, women and men in desperate need in Afghanistan without our female staff,” Save the Children, the Norwegian Refugee Council and CARE said in a joint statement.

“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.”

With inputs from AFP.

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