The Taliban has doubled down on its ban on women working in non-governmental organizations (NGOs), issuing a follow-up directive on December 26, 2024, to enforce the controversial measure first announced in December 2022. The Ministry of Economy mandated all local and international NGOs to terminate their female employees or face suspension of operations and revocation of licenses.
The initial announcement of the ban on December 24, 2022, drew widespread global condemnation. Critics, including humanitarian organizations and international leaders, labeled the decision “cruel” and “profoundly irresponsible.”
This move is part of a broader pattern of restrictions imposed by the Taliban since their takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021. Women and girls have been barred from secondary and higher education, prevented from working in NGOs, and prohibited from traveling without a male guardian.
In their latest measure, the Taliban has also ordered the closure of all public and private health institutes for women across the country until further notice, compounding the challenges faced by Afghan women and raising concerns over access to healthcare.
This week, on December 28, the Taliban leader prohibited windows that overlook neighboring homes to further restrict women’s visibility.
