The Taliban have announced a complete ban on national and foreign NGOs employing women in Afghanistan. This latest act of Taliban brutality deepens the ongoing assault on women’s rights. The Economy Ministry, in a letter shared on social media platform X, stated that organizations failing to comply will lose their operating licenses.
This move marks another severe blow to women’s freedoms since the Taliban took control in August 2021. Two years ago, they had already barred Afghan women from working in NGOs, claiming they failed to wear the Islamic headscarf properly. Now, the Taliban are extending their control to shut down all organizations employing women.
The United Nations expressed grave concern over this escalating crisis. U.N. associate spokesperson Florencia Soto Nino-Martinez stated that the space for Afghan women has shrunk dramatically. “This affects our ability to deliver life-saving humanitarian aid,” she said. Afghanistan faces a humanitarian crisis, with half the population living in poverty and stripped of basic rights.
The Economy Ministry justified its decision by stating its role in overseeing all activities of national and foreign organizations. It warned that institutions failing to stop female employment would have their licenses revoked. The Taliban’s morality police have already interfered with humanitarian work, particularly targeting female aid workers.
Despite the Taliban’s denial, international organizations report increasing restrictions on their activities. Tom Fletcher, a senior U.N. official, noted a rise in incidents where male and female staff were blocked from performing their duties. Relief work, which is critical in Afghanistan, is now at risk due to these oppressive measures.
The Taliban have already excluded women from education beyond sixth grade, barred them from most public spaces, and stripped them of numerous job opportunities. These restrictions represent a systematic attempt to erase women from public life.
In another shocking development, Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada issued a decree restricting the design of buildings. The new rule forbids windows overlooking areas where women might stand or sit. This applies to both new and existing structures. Property owners must obscure such windows with walls, fences, or screens to “remove harm,” according to the decree. Municipal authorities are tasked with ensuring compliance.
The United Nations once again urged the Taliban to reverse these oppressive measures. However, the Taliban continue to tighten their grip on women’s lives, ignoring international appeals.
These actions reveal the relentless Taliban brutality and their complete disregard for basic human rights. Afghanistan’s women now face an even bleaker future under the weight of these restrictions. The world watches as a humanitarian crisis deepens, fueled by oppressive policies that push half the population into invisibility.
