The UN’s human rights chief, Volker Turk, expressed deep concern over the Taliban’s recent decision to bar Afghan women from working with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), urging the de facto authorities in Afghanistan to reverse this move.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, the rights of women have been increasingly restricted, with the United Nations condemning the regime’s actions as “gender apartheid.” In a statement on Tuesday, Turk said, “I am deeply alarmed by the recent announcement that NGOs will have their licenses revoked if they continue to employ Afghan women. This is an entirely wrong path.”
According to a letter from the Taliban’s Ministry of Economy, dated last Thursday, both national and international NGOs are now required to comply with a decree issued two years ago, which prohibits them from hiring Afghan women.
Turk highlighted the dire humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, where more than half the population lives in poverty. “NGOs play a critical role in delivering essential, life-saving assistance to Afghan women, men, girls, and boys. This ban will severely hinder the population’s ability to receive vital aid,” he said.
He reiterated his call for the Taliban authorities to revoke the discriminatory decree, along with other measures that restrict women and girls’ access to education, employment, healthcare, and public services. He stressed, “No country can progress — politically, economically, or socially — while excluding half of its population from public life.”
Since the Taliban’s takeover, Afghan women have faced increasing marginalization from public spaces, with bans on post-primary education, restrictions on employment, and limitations on their access to parks and other public areas. Under the regime’s strict interpretation of Islamic law, a recent law has also prohibited women from singing or reciting poetry in public, and there are growing calls for women to “veil” both their voices and bodies when outside the home.
Moreover, some local media outlets have stopped broadcasting female voices altogether.
Turk concluded by urging the Taliban authorities to change course for the future of Afghanistan, stressing that progress is impossible without including women in public life.
