Three NGOs Suspend their Work in Afghanistan, for Barring Women’s Education and Labor
Three non-governmental organizations announced today, Sunday, the suspension of their activities in Afghanistan, in light of the Taliban government’s decision to prevent women from working in international and local non-governmental organizations.
Save the Children, the Norwegian Refugee Council, and CARE said they could not effectively reach children, women, and men in desperate need of aid in Afghanistan without women in the workforce.
Neil Turner, President of the Norwegian Refugee Council in Afghanistan, told the Associated Press, “We have complied with all cultural norms and simply cannot function without our dedicated staff, and they are essential for us to reach women who need help the most.”
On Saturday, the Afghan Taliban government issued an order to all local and foreign non-governmental organizations not to allow women to work, the United Nations said would harm humanitarian relief operations in the winter season in a country already in economic crisis.