Taliban rulers in Afghanistan on Saturday ordered all national and international NGOs to stop their women employees from working after ‘serious complaints’ about their dress code, the Ministry of Economy told reporters.
A notification that was sent to all NGOs and confirmed by a ministry spokesman, a copy of which was sighted by Africa Today News, New York read; ‘There have been serious complaints regarding the non-observance of the Islamic hijab and other rules and regulations pertaining to the work of females in national and international organisations’.
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“The ministry of economy … instructs all organisations to stop females working until further notice,” the notification said.
Saturday’s order came less than a week after the minister of higher education banned women from attending universities, prompting global outrage.
Since the hardline Islamists seized power in August last year, they have imposed harsh restrictions on women — effectively squeezing them out of public life.
Recall that Taliban rulers had on Tuesday on university education for females nationwide, as the hard-line Islamists continue to crush women’s right to education and freedom.
The Taliban increased restrictions on all aspects of women’s lives despite promising a softer rule when they gained control last year and disregarded international protests.
‘You all are informed to immediately implement the mentioned order of suspending the education of females until further notice,’ said a letter issued to all government and private universities, signed by the Minister for Higher Education, Neda Mohammad Nadeem.
The spokesman for the ministry, Ziaullah Hashimi, who tweeted the letter, confirmed the order in a text message to reporters on Wednesday morning.
Washington condemned the decision ‘in the strongest terms.’
The ban on higher education comes less than three months after thousands of girls and women sat university entrance exams across the country, with many aspiring to choose teaching and medicine as future careers.