Taliban orders NGOs in Afghanistan to suspend women from working

The Taliban government in Afghanistan has ordered all foreign and domestic non-governmental organisations in the country to suspend women from working.

According to Associated Press, the order was disclosed on Saturday in a letter by Qari Din Mohammed Hanif, the economy minister.

The ministry said the directive was made because of “serious complaints” about the female staff working for NGOs not wearing the “correct” headscarf or hijab.

The Taliban said any NGO found disobeying the order will have their operating license revoked in Afghanistan.

However, it is not clear if the order applies to all women, or only Afghan women working with NGOs.

This move comes only days after the government banned females in the country from attending university.

On Saturday, women took to the streets to protest the ban, and Taliban security forces reportedly used water cannons to disperse protesters.

Since seizing power in 2021, the Taliban have introduced stringent and restrictive regulations, which mostly affected women and girls.

In May 2022, women were asked to wear head-to-toe clothing in public places, and they are also not allowed to board domestic or international flights without a male chaperone.

Weeks after, the Taliban banned females from participating in large gatherings organised to address issues of national unity. It said male delegates should represent women.