The UAE has condemned the Taliban’s decision to ban women from working in NGOs across Afghanistan, the country’s foreign ministry said on Monday.
Afghanistan’s economy ministry on December 24 ordered all non-governmental organizations (NGOs) not to let female staff work until further notice.
Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and Representative of the UAE to the United Nations Lana Nusseibeh warned that “the decision will further impede the provision of humanitarian relief in the country and affect the most vulnerable in society, including women, children, and the elderly.”
She said that two-thirds of Afghanistan’s population is in need of humanitarian assistance, and six million people are at risk of starvation.
Afghanistan’s already struggling economy has tipped into crisis since the Taliban took over in 2021, with the country facing sanctions and cuts in development aid.
Humanitarian aid, aimed at meeting urgent needs, has provided a lifeline to millions of people. Over half of Afghanistan’s population are reliant on humanitarian aid, according to the International Rescue Committee.
-Agencies
