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Women walk through the old market while an armed Taliban fighter stands guard in the background
Photo: Ebrahim Noroozi / dpa
The ban on women working in non-governmental organizations (NGOs) imposed by the radical Islamic Taliban in Afghanistan on Saturday has met with sharp criticism internationally.
The Taliban had justified the renewed deep cuts in women's rights - after the study ban - with "serious complaints" that women who work for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) do not wear the hijab.
If women in Afghanistan were "systematically excluded from all aspects of public and political life," this would "throw the country back" and endanger efforts for peace and stability, the UN Humanitarian Aid Office (OCHA) said on Saturday.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also warned that the decision "could be devastating for the Afghan people."
He was "deeply concerned" that the ban could lead to an interruption of "central and life-saving aid for millions of people," Blinken said on Twitter on Saturday.
The EU had also "strongly" condemned the decision of the radical Islamic Taliban.
Organizations that do not comply with the ban on women's employment are threatened by the Taliban with withdrawal of their licence.
It was initially unclear whether the ban only applies to Afghan nationals or also to foreigners.
The UN said it would ask the Taliban for an explanation of the order.
A meeting of high-ranking UN representatives with representatives of dozens of NGOs is also planned for Sunday to discuss how to proceed in Afghanistan.
From NGO circles it was said that the meeting would discuss whether to stop all aid measures in the country.
Millions of people in Afghanistan are dependent on humanitarian aid.
The economic crisis in the country has worsened since the Taliban took power in August last year.
The Taliban had initially announced that they wanted to be less harsh than during their first rule from 1996 to 2001. In the meantime, however, the militia is becoming more and more radical.
late/dpa