Women banned from working in NGOs: Paris condemns the “obscurantism” of the Taliban in Afghanistan

The situation of Afghan women continues to be of concern. This Monday, France issued a press release condemning the Taliban’s “obscurantism” following the Afghan government’s decision to ban women from working for NGOs.

The Afghan Ministry of Economy on Saturday evening ordered all non-governmental organizations to stop working with women, otherwise their licenses could be suspended. The women working there did not respect the wearing of the “Islamic hijab”. It was not clear whether the directive applied to foreign women employees of NGOs.

“This new ban on women (…) once again demonstrates (…) the obscurantism of the Taliban,” wrote Quai d’Orsay. “This ruthlessness towards them is unbearable.”

Following this decision, four foreign NGOs (Save the Children, Norwegian Refugee Council, CARE International and International Rescue Committee) decided on Sunday to suspend their activities in the country. On Monday they were joined by two more associations: the British NGO Christian Aid and ActionAid.

“Removing women from humanitarian work will only diminish our ability to help the growing number of those in need and risk exacerbating the terrible humanitarian crisis facing women and girls,” Ray Hassan, who is responsible for Christian aid in the region, said in a press release. peace.

“Women are essential to any humanitarian relief operation,” especially in Afghanistan, where “only women can interact with women,” laments ActionAid.

Measures to destroy freedom

Since their return to power in August 2021, the Taliban have taken a series of measures aimed at isolating women from the rest of society. They are now forbidden to attend public and private universities, secondary schools and public gardens, to play sports…

Despite their promises to be more flexible, the Taliban returned to the over-strict interpretation of Islam that marked their first tenure (1996-2001).

At the same time, the country is experiencing a severe economic and food crisis and is dependent on international assistance and NGOs. According to the UN and aid agencies, more than half of the country’s 38 million people need humanitarian aid during the winter.

The head of Christian Aid explained that “millions of people” in the country are “on the brink of starvation,” to the point where it has been reported that families are “so desperate that they have to sell their children to buy food.”

In its press release, the Quai d’Orsay said it condemned “in the strongest terms” the decision, which “seriously impedes the delivery of humanitarian aid to the detriment of the Afghan population (…) while the country is going through a severe economic and humanitarian crisis.”