UN Special Rapporteur Calls for End to Taliban Ban on Women in NGOs as Economic Impact Mounts

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, has vehemently called for the Taliban to lift the ban on women working in non-governmental organizations (NGOs), stating that their contributions are crucial to the economy and essential for the progress of Afghan society. Bennett's statement comes on the heels of the first anniversary of the Taliban's ban on women working in NGOs, highlighting the ongoing restrictions faced by women in Afghanistan.

The Taliban's Ministry of Economy had ordered both domestic and international NGOs to suspend the employment of women workers in December 2022, a decision that has had a significant impact on the country's economy, according to a report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The report highlighted the deteriorating economy of Afghanistan, a country heavily reliant on humanitarian aid, due to the ban on women's work.

The urgency of the situation was further underscored by Afghan economic expert, Mohammad Nabi, who stressed the need to build a robust economy in cooperation with women. He called for the Taliban to create a proper mechanism and provide work for women in government offices so that they can serve in society. Additionally, the United Nations Women's Division has urged the international community to support the struggles of women and girls in Afghanistan, calling for investment in their resistance and emphasizing that their fight is a global one.

The division emphasized the importance of listening to the voices of Afghan women and girls, whose struggles have too often been suppressed. The ongoing ban on women working in NGOs has also led to the imprisonment of several protesting women, including Zhulia Parsi, Manizha Seddiqi, and Parisa Azada, under the Taliban's rule, underscoring the urgency of the situation and the need for support and action from the international community.