A new restriction of the rights of women in Afghanistan. Taliban authorities have ordered national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to stop working with women after “serious complaints” that they did not follow a proper dress code, the Peace Ministry told AFP on Saturday.
“There have been serious complaints about non-compliance with the Islamic hijab and other rules and regulations related to women’s work in national and international organizations,” the ministry, which is responsible for approving the licenses of NGOs operating in Afghanistan, said in a letter obtained by AFP.
A spokesperson for the ministry confirmed that the Ministry of Economy sent the order to the NGOs.
“In case of non-compliance with the directive (…) the organization’s license that was issued by this ministry will be cancelled,” the email specifies.
Women banned from universities
The announcement comes just four days after the Taliban government decided to ban Afghan women from attending public and private universities in the country indefinitely.
Higher Education Minister Neda Mohammad Nadeem explained in a television interview that she made this decision because “students going to university (…) did not respect the instructions on hijab.”
“The hijab is obligatory in Islam,” she insisted, referring to the requirement that women in Afghanistan cover their faces and entire bodies.
Despite their promises to be more flexible, the Taliban have returned to the ultra-rigorous interpretation of Islam that marked their first term in power (1996-2001).
Since his return to power in August 2021, draconian measures have multiplied, particularly against women who have been gradually excluded from public life and excluded from colleges and secondary schools.
Source: BFM TV
