Taliban authorities have ordered national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to stop working with women after “serious complaints” that they did not follow an appropriate dress code, the ministry of peace told AFP on Saturday. ‘Economy.
“There have been serious complaints about non-compliance with the Islamic hijab and other rules and regulations relating to women’s work in national and international organizations,” said the ministry, which is responsible for approving licenses for NGOs operating in Afghanistan, in a letter obtained by AFP.
A ministry spokesperson confirmed that the Ministry of Economy sent the order to the NGOs.
“In case of disregard of the directive […] the organization’s license that was issued by this ministry will be revoked,” the letter said.
The announcement comes just four days after the Taliban government decided to ban Afghan women from attending public and private universities in the country for an indefinite period.
The Minister of Higher Education, Neda Mohammad Nadeem, explained in a television interview that he took this decision because “students who went to university […] did not respect the instructions on the hijab”.
“The hijab is obligatory in Islam,” he insisted, referring to the requirement for women in Afghanistan to cover their faces and their entire bodies.
Despite their promises to be more flexible, the Taliban have returned to the ultra-rigorous interpretation of Islam that marked their first spell in power (1996-2001).
Since their return to power in August 2021, draconian measures have multiplied, in particular against women who have been gradually excluded from public life and excluded from colleges and high schools.