The Taliban say they will close all domestic and foreign non-governmental groups in Afghanistan that employ women. It comes two years after NGOs were asked to suspend the employment of Afghan women, allegedly because they were not wearing the Islamic headscarf correctly.
In a letter published on Sunday night, the Ministry of Economy warned that failure to comply with the latest order would lead to NGOs losing their license to operate in Afghanistan.
The ministry said it was responsible for the registration, coordination, leadership and supervision of all activities carried out by domestic and foreign organizations.
According to the letter, the government once again ordered the cessation of all female work in institutions not controlled by the Taliban.
“In case of lack of cooperation, all the activities of that institution will be canceled and the activity license of that institution, granted by the ministry, will also be canceled.”
It is the last attempt by the Taliban to control or intervene in the activity of NGOs.
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Earlier this month, the UN Security Council heard that a growing proportion of Afghan aid workers were prevented from doing their work even though relief work remains essential.
According to Tom Fletcher, a senior UN official, the proportion of humanitarian organizations reporting that their female or male staff were detained by the Taliban's morality police has also increased.
The Taliban deny that they are preventing aid agencies from carrying out their work or interfering with their activities.
They have already excluded women from many jobs and most public spaces, and they have also excluded them from education beyond the sixth grade.
In another development, Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has ordered that buildings have no windows facing places where a woman could sit or stand.
According to a four-clause decree published Saturday night, the order applies to both new and existing buildings.
Windows should not overlook or face areas such as patios or kitchens. When a window faces such a space, the person responsible for that property must find a way to obscure this view to “eliminate the damage” by installing a wall, fence, or screen.
Municipalities and other authorities must supervise the construction of new buildings to prevent the installation of windows facing into or above residential properties, the decree adds.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing was not immediately available to comment on Akhundzada's instructions.
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