Leading international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have announced that they will suspend their humanitarian work in Afghanistan, at least temporarily. The move comes after the Taliban de facto authorities reportedly issued an order Saturday barring all female employees of national and international organizations from going to work with immediate effect.
Responding to the announcement of the ban on NGOs employing women in Afghanistan, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), CARE International and Save the Children International said in a joined statement Sunday:
âWe cannot effectively reach children, women and men in desperate need in Afghanistan without our female staff. Without women driving our response, we would not have jointly reached millions of Afghans in need since August 2021. Beyond the impact on delivery of lifesaving assistance, this will affect thousands of jobs in the midst of an enormous economic crisis.â
âWhilst we gain clarity on this announcement, we are suspending our programs, demanding that men and women can equally continue our lifesaving assistance in Afghanistan,â the NGOs said.
Since then, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), Mercy Corps, World Vision, Islamic Relief, Cordaid, Christian Aid, People in Need and several other NGOs have also suspended their operations temporarily in Afghanistan. The suspensions were announced in separate statements Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Islamic Relief said it is only suspending ânon-lifesaving activitiesâ.
On 24 December, national and international NGOs received a letter that as of 25 December, women were no longer allowed to work for local and international non-governmental organizations in the country.
The United Nations (UN) expressed its âprofound concernâ regarding the ban. The UN says any such order would violate the most fundamental rights of women, as well as be a clear breach of humanitarian principles.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker TĂŒrk called today on the Taliban to revoke immediately policies that target the rights of women and girls, noting both the âterrible, cascading effectsâ on their lives and the destabilizing risks such policies pose to Afghan society.
âThis latest decree by the de facto authorities will have terrible consequences for women and for all Afghan people,â the High Commissioner said. âBanning women from working in NGOS will deprive them and their families of their incomes, and of their right to contribute positively to the development of their country and to the well-being of their fellow citizens,â TĂŒrk said.
Afghanistan remains in the grips of one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. Millions in in the country are experiencing misery and hunger amid decades of conflict. The cumulative effects of violent conflict, internal displacement, drought and other natural disasters have drastically increased humanitarian needs throughout Afghanistan.
The collapse of the countryâs economy is further exacerbating humanitarian needs. Millions of Afghans â particularly children and women â need urgent life-saving humanitarian assistance. The UN estimates that 28.3 million people - two-thirds of the countryâs population - will require humanitarian aid in 2023, an increase of 16 % compared to the previous year. Among those in need will be 15.3 million boys and girls.
Further information
Full text: NGOs condemn Afghan de facto authoritiesâ ban on women NGO workers, statement by Save the Children, Norwegian Refugee Council, CARE International, released December 25, 2022
https://www.nrc.no/news/2022/december/afghanistan-nrc-appalled-by-the-closing-of-universities-for-women/ngos-condemn-afghan-de-facto-authorities-ban-on-women-ngo-workers/
Full text: Afghanistan: End destructive, destabilizing policies against women, TĂŒrk urges, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, press release, published December 27, 2022
https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2022/12/afghanistan-end-destructive-destabilizing-policies-against-women-turk-urges